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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. key — for a lock
  3. suit — clothes
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. spell — a short time
  6. mug — to rob
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. file — a document
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. spring — of water
  12. key — in music
  13. mug — a cup
  14. key — the most important part
  15. spring — the season
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — to fit
  18. spring — a coil
  19. stand — to bear
  20. file — a tool
  21. file — a line of people
  22. mug — a face
  23. spell — letters
  24. stand — on your feet

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