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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 120 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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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. staff — employees
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. object — an aim
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. staff — a stick
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. deal — to handle
  12. file — a tool
  13. plane — a tool
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. file — a document
  16. spell — letters
  17. staff — employees
  18. file — a line of people
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. object — a thing
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. object — to protest

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