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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.

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: branch · stick · spell · season · bay · can · pitcher · ball

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. spell — letters
  4. spell — magic
  5. can — to be able to
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. season — of the year
  10. spell — a short time
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. ball — a great time
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. season — in sport
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bay — a horse colour

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