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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.

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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: saw · spell · date · mouse · snap · ruler · last · staff

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. last — finally
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. spell — a short time
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. last — final
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. spell — letters
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. snap — to click
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. staff — a stick
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. last — to go on
  20. date — the fruit
  21. spell — magic
  22. staff — employees
  23. saw — the tool
  24. ruler — for measuring

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