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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.

Make a worksheet

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: kid · leaves · scale · spell · key · mug · bay · net

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. mug — a face
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. scale — in music
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. kid — to tease
  12. scale — size or range
  13. kid — child
  14. spell — magic
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — in sport
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — in music
  19. mug — a cup
  20. net — for catching
  21. mug — to rob
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. spell — a short time
  24. leaves — to go away

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