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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 116 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
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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: spell · saw · mouse · fine · wake · content · object · hide

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. object — a thing
  7. spell — letters
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. saw — the tool
  10. object — to protest
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. fine — all right
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. spell — a short time
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. content — happy
  18. content — the amount
  19. spell — magic
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. wake — a trail
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. hide — to keep secret

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