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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: mouse · calf · saw · pitch · racket · straw · spell · fine

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. saw — the tool
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fine — high quality
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. fine — all right
  14. spell — a short time
  15. saw — the tool
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. pitch — completely
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. spell — letters
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. calf — of the leg

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