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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. cue — a hint
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. spell — magic
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. row — a line
  9. wind — moving air
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. rock — a stone
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. squash — the sport
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. wind — moving air
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — to crush
  19. row — to paddle
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — for pool
  24. spell — letters

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