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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bank — for money
  4. spell — letters
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bank — for money
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bulb — for light
  14. spell — magic
  15. bulb — for light
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. dip — to sink
  18. spell — a short time
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bank — of a river
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bulb — of a plant

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