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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: object · nail · perch · toast · date · ball · present · spell

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. spell — letters
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a dance
  5. perch — the fish
  6. spell — a short time
  7. object — an aim
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. object — to protest
  10. toast — bread
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. present — a gift
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. ball — a great time
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. present — there
  19. present — the time now
  20. spell — magic
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. date — the fruit
  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