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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. spell — letters
  7. can — a tin
  8. row — a line
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. row — to paddle
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — employees
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. spell — a short time
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. staff — a stick

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