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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 116 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. mug — a face
  3. charge — electricity
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. spell — a short time
  6. mug — to rob
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. charge — in control
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. charge — a price
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. drill — army training
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. drill — a practice
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. drill — the tool
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. mug — a cup
  20. vault — a safe
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. spell — letters

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