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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. can — to be able to
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bear — the animal
  6. chest — a box
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — a short time
  11. chest — of your body
  12. charge — in control
  13. can — a tin
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. lie — to recline
  17. can — a tin
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bear — the animal
  20. charge — a price
  21. chest — of your body
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. kick — in football

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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