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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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. content — the amount
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bank — of a river
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. saw — the tool
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bank — for money
  9. content — happy
  10. saw — the tool
  11. spell — letters
  12. vault — a safe
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. mark — a grade
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bank — for money
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. mark — a trace
  21. spell — magic
  22. lean — thin
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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