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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. staff — employees
  4. squash — the sport
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. object — an aim
  8. spell — magic
  9. object — a thing
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bear — the animal
  12. staff — employees
  13. bear — the animal
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. squash — to crush
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. object — to protest
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. spell — a short time
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mark — a grade
  23. spell — letters
  24. staff — a stick

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