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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: clip · staff · spell · pass · lie · suit · straw · bay

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. staff — employees
  3. clip — for paper
  4. spell — letters
  5. suit — clothes
  6. clip — to cut
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. spell — a short time
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. pass — a permit
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. clip — a video
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. suit — to fit
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. spell — magic
  23. suit — in cards
  24. pass — to spend time

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