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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. staff — a stick
  5. spell — a short time
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. plane — a tool
  9. track — a song
  10. object — to protest
  11. staff — employees
  12. roll — a list
  13. roll — a cake
  14. track — a path
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. spell — magic
  18. object — a thing
  19. spell — letters
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ball — a dance
  22. track — to keep track
  23. staff — employees
  24. ball — a great time

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