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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. spell — a short time
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. spell — letters
  5. bank — of a river
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. face — to confront
  10. bank — for money
  11. pound — a weight
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — part of the head
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. spell — magic
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. craft — boats
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bank — for money
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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