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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rash — a series
  3. bank — for money
  4. kid — to tease
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bank — of a river
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. rash — hasty
  10. wax — to grow
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — a short time
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. kid — child
  15. march — music
  16. spell — letters
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bank — for money
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. march — the month
  24. leaves — lets stay

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