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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 124 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.

Make a worksheet

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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. board — to get on
  4. spell — a short time
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. spell — letters
  8. key — the most important part
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. spring — a coil
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. key — in music
  15. spring — the season
  16. lean — to bend
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. lean — thin
  20. stand — to bear
  21. spring — of water
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. key — for a lock

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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