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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 asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  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. spell — magic
  2. bank — for money
  3. season — in sport
  4. ball — a great time
  5. spell — a short time
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a grade
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. cap — a hat
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bank — of a river
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. cap — of ice
  17. rest — what's left
  18. ball — a dance
  19. mark — a trace
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bank — for money
  22. spell — letters
  23. season — of the year
  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