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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 116 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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bank — for money
  6. object — to protest
  7. bank — for money
  8. object — an aim
  9. spell — magic
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. spell — a short time
  14. object — a thing
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. bank — of a river
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. mine — for digging
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. spell — letters

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