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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. rest — a break
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. game — a match
  5. key — the most important part
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. spell — a short time
  8. key — in music
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. spell — magic
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. key — for a lock
  15. branch — a division
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mine — an explosive

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