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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. pop — to visit
  4. bank — of a river
  5. mate — a partner
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. club — for golf
  8. pop — soda
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. spell — magic
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. foot — a measure
  14. spell — a short time
  15. bank — for money
  16. stem — to come from
  17. mate — a friend
  18. pop — music
  19. mate — to breed
  20. toast — bread
  21. bank — for money
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for dancing

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