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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. can — to be able to
  6. degree — from a university
  7. can — a tin
  8. snap — to click
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. can — a tin
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. spell — letters
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. degree — an amount
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. degree — temperature
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — for pool

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