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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
468
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: season · staff · arm · stick · suit · dip · snap · spell

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. spell — magic
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. spell — letters
  5. season — of the year
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. suit — in cards
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. staff — employees
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. spell — a short time
  12. suit — to fit
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. dip — to sink
  16. season — in sport
  17. suit — clothes
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. staff — employees
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. snap — to click
  24. staff — a stick

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