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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: straw · charge · arm · bay · present · pass · saw · spell

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. present — a gift
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. charge — in control
  11. spell — letters
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. present — the time now
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. charge — electricity
  16. saw — the tool
  17. charge — a price
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. spell — a short time
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. present — there
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a horse colour

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