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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.

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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: bowl · bay · spell · present · bear · leaves · key · roll

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. present — a gift
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. key — in music
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. roll — a list
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — letters
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. present — there
  17. key — for a lock
  18. present — the time now
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bear — the animal
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. spell — magic
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. key — the most important part

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