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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. present — there
  3. bank — for money
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. present — the time now
  6. fall — the season
  7. bank — of a river
  8. fall — to drop
  9. pop — soda
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. wound — an injury
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. key — in music
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. bank — for money
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. fall — to drop
  18. present — a gift
  19. dip — to sink
  20. key — the most important part
  21. deal — to handle
  22. wound — an injury
  23. pop — music
  24. key — for a lock

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