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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.

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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. cell — a phone
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. lean — thin
  8. staff — employees
  9. lean — to bend
  10. staff — a stick
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. spell — letters
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bear — the animal
  16. scale — in music
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. mate — a friend
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mate — to breed
  24. staff — employees

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