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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bank — for money
  4. can — a tin
  5. tube — the underground
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bank — for money
  8. tube — a container
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — magic
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — a grade
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. can — to be able to
  15. chest — of your body
  16. ball — a dance
  17. can — a tin
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. chest — of your body
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. chest — a box
  24. bank — of a river

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