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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: spell · toast · file · track · object · mug · straw · wave

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. mug — a face
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. mug — to rob
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — to protest
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. spell — a short time
  10. object — an aim
  11. track — to keep track
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. mug — a cup
  14. spell — letters
  15. track — a path
  16. toast — bread
  17. file — a line of people
  18. track — a song
  19. file — a tool
  20. file — a document
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. spell — magic

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