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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. scale — size or range
  3. suit — to fit
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. can — a tin
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. spell — a short time
  10. can — a tin
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. wake — a trail
  13. spell — letters
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. branch — a division
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. suit — in cards
  20. can — to be able to
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. scale — in music
  23. rest — a break
  24. suit — clothes

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