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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 is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rush — hurry
  4. land — ground
  5. bank — for money
  6. fine — all right
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. march — the month
  13. march — music
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. march — the month
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bank — for money
  18. land — to come down
  19. spell — letters
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. spell — a short time
  22. land — a country
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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