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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. key — the most important part
  3. file — a tool
  4. can — a tin
  5. ball — a dance
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. file — a document
  8. spell — a short time
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. can — a tin
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. key — for a lock
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. key — in music
  17. spell — letters
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. chair — a leader
  20. file — a line of people
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. ball — a great time
  23. can — to be able to
  24. mouse — for a computer

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