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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. row — to paddle
  7. deal — to handle
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. spell — letters
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wake — a trail
  14. row — a line
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. spell — magic
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. pound — a weight
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. rule — government
  21. rule — a law
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wake — before a funeral

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