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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bear — the animal
  3. race — humankind
  4. spell — magic
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. race — the arms race
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — in control
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — to visit
  12. charge — a price
  13. race — a contest
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bank — for money
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — goods
  19. pop — music
  20. stock — shares
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bank — for money
  23. spell — a short time
  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