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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: cue · rock · toast · present · spell · bay · straw · jam

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. cue — a signal
  3. rock — music
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. present — there
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. cue — a hint
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. toast — bread
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. spell — letters
  13. present — the time now
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. rock — a stone
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. cue — for pool
  21. present — a gift
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. spell — a short time
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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