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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.

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
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chair · spell · rock · fork · cue · saw

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. fork — in a road
  3. saw — the tool
  4. chair — a leader
  5. spell — magic
  6. cue — for pool
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. rock — music
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. saw — the tool
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. cue — a signal
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. cue — a hint
  15. rock — a stone
  16. spell — a short time
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. rock — to move gently

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