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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: scale · bat · mouse · snap · jam · mug · deal · spell

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bat — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. spell — magic
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. scale — in music
  8. deal — to handle
  9. snap — to click
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. mug — a face
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. spell — a short time
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. spell — letters

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