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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. fine — high quality
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. club — for dancing
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. foot — a measure
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. club — for golf
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. club — a group
  17. fine — all right
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. deal — to handle
  21. spell — a short time
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. spell — letters

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