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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. spell — letters
  4. spell — magic
  5. track — a song
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. spell — a short time
  11. dip — to sink
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bank — of a river
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bank — for money
  17. toast — bread
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. track — to keep track
  20. bore — to drill
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. track — a path
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bank — for money

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