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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. snap — to click
  3. last — to go on
  4. mug — to rob
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. suit — clothes
  8. scale — size or range
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. mug — a face
  11. last — final
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. last — finally
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. spell — letters
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mug — a cup
  20. scale — in music
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. suit — in cards
  24. spell — a short 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