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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 120 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bank — for money
  5. spring — the season
  6. spring — of water
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bank — for money
  9. shower — to wash
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bank — of a river
  12. rock — music
  13. fine — all right
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. shower — rain
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. suit — to fit
  21. spell — letters
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. spring — a coil
  24. bowl — a dish

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