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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. lie — to recline
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bear — the animal
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. date — the fruit
  13. mug — to rob
  14. sharp — clever
  15. wound — an injury
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mug — a cup
  18. spell — a short time
  19. wound — an injury
  20. mug — a face
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. spell — magic

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