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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. suit — to fit
  3. ground — crushed
  4. lean — to bend
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. ground — the earth
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. spell — letters
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bulb — for light
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. spell — a short time
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. lean — thin
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bulb — for light
  22. spell — magic
  23. ground — a position
  24. chip — to eat

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