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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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468
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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. staff — a stick
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. suit — in cards
  7. staff — employees
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. spell — a short time
  12. suit — to fit
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. ball — a great time
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wax — to grow
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. ball — a dance
  21. staff — employees
  22. suit — clothes
  23. spell — magic
  24. racket — a loud noise

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