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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. spell — a short time
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bank — for money
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bank — for money
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. spell — magic
  18. nail — on a finger

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