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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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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: bay · mouse · spell · rock · file · deal · wave · plane

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rock — music
  4. deal — to handle
  5. file — a tool
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — a short time
  11. file — a document
  12. file — a line of people
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. spell — letters
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. rock — a stone
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. plane — a tool
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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