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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. bank — for money
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bound — tied together
  7. spell — a short time
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. can — to be able to
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rock — a stone
  12. cell — in biology
  13. can — a tin
  14. rush — hurry
  15. spell — magic
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. bank — of a river
  18. can — a tin
  19. bound — certain
  20. cell — a phone
  21. bound — obliged
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. rock — music
  24. bank — for money

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