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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: straw · content · cell · present · suit · nail · mug · spell

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — a cup
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. present — there
  7. spell — magic
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. present — a gift
  10. spell — letters
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cell — a phone
  15. spell — a short time
  16. present — the time now
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. content — happy
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. suit — to fit
  21. mug — to rob
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — the amount
  24. straw — dry grass

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