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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
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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: rest · nail · mouse · safe · pop · bat · bay · spell

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pop — to visit
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. rest — what's left
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bat — the animal
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rest — what's left
  14. spell — letters
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. pop — music
  22. spell — magic
  23. rest — a break
  24. nail — on a finger

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