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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  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 — a short time
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — letters
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. board — a committee
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. wind — moving air
  12. object — an aim
  13. board — to get on
  14. wind — moving air
  15. squash — to crush
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. object — a thing
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. pass — a permit
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. squash — the sport
  23. pass — to succeed
  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