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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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Word bank
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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. spell — magic
  4. staff — employees
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. spell — letters
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. staff — employees
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. staff — a stick
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. ball — a great time
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. fine — all right
  24. ball — a round shape

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