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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.

Make a worksheet

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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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. court — of law
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. court — for sport
  11. key — the most important part
  12. spell — magic
  13. court — of a king
  14. key — for a lock
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. key — in music
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lie — to recline
  23. spell — a short time
  24. hide — to keep secret

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