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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. net — in sport
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bank — for money
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. rash — hasty
  7. spell — a short time
  8. foot — a measure
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mine — for digging
  12. net — after costs
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — letters
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bank — of a river
  21. net — for catching
  22. bank — for money
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rest — a break

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