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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 116 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. cue — a hint
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. suit — to fit
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bore — to tire
  8. mug — to rob
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. spell — a short time
  11. cue — a signal
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. spell — letters
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. suit — in cards
  16. snap — to click
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bore — to drill
  20. mug — a face
  21. suit — clothes
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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