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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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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: staff · deal · spell · bay · arm · stick · snap · mouse

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. staff — a stick
  3. staff — employees
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. deal — to handle
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — letters
  15. staff — employees
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. snap — to click
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. spell — magic
  24. bay — a horse colour

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