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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — letters
  3. bank — for money
  4. content — the amount
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. plane — a tool
  7. pop — soda
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bank — for money
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. content — happy
  12. board — a committee
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. spell — a short time
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pop — music
  18. pop — to visit
  19. bulb — for light
  20. lean — thin
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bank — of a river
  23. board — to get on
  24. bulb — for light

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