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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — magic
  4. cold — not warm
  5. bank — for money
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bank — of a river
  8. spell — letters
  9. ground — crushed
  10. mate — to breed
  11. lie — to recline
  12. mate — a partner
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. firm — decided
  15. cold — an illness
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mate — a friend
  18. firm — a company
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. ground — the earth
  21. firm — steady
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. ground — a position

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