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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.

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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 knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bank — for money
  4. sharp — clever
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a trace
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bank — for money
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. rest — a break
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pop — soda
  17. spell — letters
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. rest — what's left
  20. spell — magic
  21. bank — of a river
  22. prune — to trim
  23. pop — music
  24. prune — to trim

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