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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: wound · bay · spring · safe · scale · nail · rest · spell

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — in music
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. spring — of water
  5. spell — letters
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. wound — an injury
  9. spell — magic
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wound — an injury
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. rest — what's left
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spring — a coil
  21. spring — the season
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. nail — for a hammer

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