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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 · mouse · content · prune · wave · rash · bat · safe

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. content — the amount
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. spell — magic
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. rash — hasty
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. spell — letters
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. prune — to trim
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rash — a series
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. content — happy
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. prune — to trim

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