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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  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. suit — clothes
  2. ball — a dance
  3. spell — magic
  4. roll — a list
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. cue — a signal
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. cue — for pool
  9. spell — a short time
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. spell — letters
  13. ball — a great time
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. roll — a cake
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. shower — to wash
  20. shower — rain
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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