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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.

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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: toast · fork · mate · ball · wake · spell · foot · hide

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — a short time
  4. mate — to breed
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. mate — a partner
  7. wake — a trail
  8. mate — a friend
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ball — a great time
  12. spell — letters
  13. fork — in a road
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. toast — bread
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. foot — a measure
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. ball — a dance
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. foot — part of the body

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