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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bank — of a river
  3. club — for golf
  4. bank — for money
  5. drill — army training
  6. club — for dancing
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. pass — a permit
  10. spell — letters
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. spell — a short time
  14. club — a group
  15. drill — the tool
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. drill — a practice
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. spell — magic
  23. bank — for money
  24. bowl — a dish

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