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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. spell — magic
  6. prune — to trim
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. key — in music
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. spell — letters
  12. key — the most important part
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. pass — a permit
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. prune — to trim
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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