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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: key · saw · spell · fine · bay · toast · straw · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. spell — magic
  3. key — in music
  4. can — to be able to
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. can — a tin
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. spell — letters
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. toast — bread
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. fine — all right
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. key — the most important part
  20. spell — a short time
  21. saw — the tool
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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