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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rock — a stone
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. spell — magic
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bound — obliged
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. suit — to fit
  11. march — the month
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. spell — letters
  15. rock — music
  16. bound — tied together
  17. march — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bound — certain
  21. march — the month
  22. suit — in cards
  23. pound — a weight
  24. dip — to sink

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com