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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: wake · object · cabinet · mouse · toast · clip · spell · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. toast — bread
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. spell — magic
  6. spell — a short time
  7. object — an aim
  8. clip — a video
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — to protest
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. spell — letters
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. clip — for paper
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. wake — a trail
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. clip — to cut
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. stand — on your feet

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