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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. ground — the earth
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. foot — a measure
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. content — the amount
  11. march — the month
  12. march — music
  13. ground — crushed
  14. spell — letters
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. spell — magic
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. ground — a position
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. march — the month
  24. content — happy

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