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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. spring — of water
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bank — for money
  6. spring — the season
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — letters
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. spell — a short time
  15. object — an aim
  16. spring — a coil
  17. bank — for money
  18. object — a thing
  19. pop — music
  20. object — to protest
  21. pop — soda
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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