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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. spell — letters
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. spell — magic
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — certain
  9. cue — a signal
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — in a road
  13. club — for dancing
  14. club — a group
  15. club — for golf
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. cue — a hint
  19. spell — a short time
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. cue — for pool
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bowl — a dish

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