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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. land — to come down
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. suit — clothes
  5. land — a country
  6. land — ground
  7. spell — a short time
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. foot — a measure
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. spell — letters
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stock — goods
  21. spell — magic
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. suit — to fit
  24. cabinet — ministers

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