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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.

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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. key — in music
  4. can — to be able to
  5. present — there
  6. mark — a grade
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — a weight
  9. key — the most important part
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. present — the time now
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. spell — a short time
  16. can — a tin
  17. mark — a trace
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. spell — letters
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. present — a gift
  23. key — for a lock
  24. can — a tin

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