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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. mark — a grade
  5. deal — to handle
  6. ball — a dance
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. toast — bread
  9. spell — magic
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. spell — letters
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. mark — a trace
  14. key — the most important part
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. key — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. ball — a great time
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. deal — an agreement

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