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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. ball — a great time
  4. staff — a stick
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. spell — a short time
  7. roll — a list
  8. staff — employees
  9. cue — a hint
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — magic
  14. staff — employees
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a signal
  18. roll — a cake

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