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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 116 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. drill — army training
  3. last — final
  4. suit — to fit
  5. staff — employees
  6. suit — in cards
  7. cap — of ice
  8. spell — a short time
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. drill — a practice
  11. suit — clothes
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. last — to go on
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. spell — letters
  16. cap — a hat
  17. staff — employees
  18. deal — to handle
  19. cap — a lid
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. staff — a stick
  23. drill — the tool
  24. last — finally

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