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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. toast — bread
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. wax — to grow
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. staff — a stick
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. spell — magic
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. spell — letters
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. staff — employees
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. staff — employees
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. spell — a short time
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. saw — the tool
  24. coach — a trainer

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