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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 120 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. spell — letters
  7. perch — the fish
  8. cue — a signal
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. cue — for pool
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. cue — a hint
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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