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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — a short time
  4. suit — in cards
  5. present — the time now
  6. drill — army training
  7. spell — magic
  8. drill — the tool
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. present — there
  11. season — of the year
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. spring — a coil
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. spring — of water
  18. season — in sport
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. present — a gift
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. spring — the season

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