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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bank — for money
  6. object — to protest
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — a grade
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. object — an aim
  16. lie — to recline
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. spring — of water
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. object — a thing
  21. branch — a division
  22. plane — a tool
  23. spring — the season
  24. plane — an aircraft

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