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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 120 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.

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: rush · fork · cabinet · spell · bay · clip · stick · fan

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. rush — hurry
  3. clip — for paper
  4. spell — magic
  5. clip — a video
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. fork — in a road
  11. clip — to cut
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. spell — letters
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. fork — a garden tool

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