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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. spell — magic
  4. squash — to crush
  5. suit — clothes
  6. toast — bread
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. spell — letters
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. mark — a grade
  14. suit — to fit
  15. squash — the sport
  16. scale — size or range
  17. spell — a short time
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. suit — in cards

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