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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 · sharp · mug · ball · court · object · spring · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. spell — a short time
  4. object — to protest
  5. mug — a cup
  6. spell — magic
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. court — of law
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. mug — a face
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. spring — a coil
  13. ball — a dance
  14. spring — of water
  15. ball — a great time
  16. court — for sport
  17. spell — letters
  18. court — of a king
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — a thing
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. mug — to rob
  23. sharp — clever
  24. spring — the season

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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