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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rock — music
  5. bank — for money
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bank — for money
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rock — a stone
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — to handle
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. pound — a weight
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — a short time
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bank — of a river

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