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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bat — the animal
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. charge — a price
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. squash — the sport
  8. charge — electricity
  9. spell — magic
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — a stone
  13. charge — in control
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. spell — letters
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. squash — to crush
  24. tube — a container

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