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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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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 · stick · bear · clip · rest · cue · foot · mouse

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. clip — for paper
  3. bear — the animal
  4. spell — magic
  5. rest — what's left
  6. cue — a hint
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. clip — a video
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. cue — a signal
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. rest — a break
  18. foot — a measure
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. clip — to cut
  21. bear — the animal
  22. spell — a short time
  23. rest — what's left
  24. spell — letters

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