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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. current — happening now
  3. bank — for money
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bank — of a river
  6. fall — the season
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. spell — magic
  11. land — to come down
  12. current — of water
  13. land — a country
  14. wax — to grow
  15. current — electric
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. land — ground
  19. bank — for money
  20. fall — to drop
  21. spell — letters
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — the fruit
  24. wax — for sculpting

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