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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. spell — magic
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. spring — of water
  8. scale — size or range
  9. can — to be able to
  10. deal — to handle
  11. can — a tin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. spell — letters
  15. board — a committee
  16. spring — a coil
  17. lean — thin
  18. spring — the season
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. can — a tin
  23. board — to get on
  24. scale — in music

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