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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — a short time
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. cue — a signal
  5. prune — to trim
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — to get on
  8. vault — a safe
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bound — certain
  11. cue — a hint
  12. spell — letters
  13. cue — for pool
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bound — tied together
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bound — obliged
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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