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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.

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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: toast · arm · spell · bay · racket · can · stick · deal

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. spell — a short time
  5. can — to be able to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. can — a tin
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. toast — bread
  13. spell — letters
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. can — a tin
  16. spell — magic
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. deal — to handle
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. toast — the most admired

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