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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. board — a committee
  3. spring — a coil
  4. spell — magic
  5. last — to go on
  6. spring — the season
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. last — finally
  10. bank — for money
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. spell — letters
  13. craft — boats
  14. bank — of a river
  15. craft — a skill
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. last — final
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. bank — for money
  22. stem — to come from
  23. board — to get on
  24. spring — of water

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