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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.

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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: object · spell · nail · perch · saw · cue · present · hand

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. present — the time now
  3. spell — a short time
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. spell — magic
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. object — a thing
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. perch — the fish
  12. present — there
  13. cue — a hint
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — to protest
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. cue — a signal
  18. saw — the tool
  19. hand — in cards
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. spell — letters
  22. cue — for pool
  23. hand — help
  24. present — a gift

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