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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: spell · fine · track · bay · ball · dip · bulb · mug

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. fine — all right
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — a face
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. dip — to sink
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. track — a path
  16. fine — high quality
  17. track — to keep track
  18. spell — letters
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a great time
  21. track — a song
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. spell — a short time
  24. bulb — for light

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