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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — magic
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — an injury
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mate — a friend
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. spell — letters
  15. bass — the fish
  16. cue — a hint
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. bass — low music
  19. mate — a partner
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bass — the instrument

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