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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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468
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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. mate — a friend
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mate — a partner
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — a short time
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — completely
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. mate — to breed
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. vault — a safe
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. snap — to click

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