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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bank — for money
  5. mate — a friend
  6. current — of water
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. current — electric
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. season — in sport
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — to tire
  14. mate — a partner
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — letters
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. current — happening now
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bank — of a river
  21. branch — a division
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bank — for money
  24. vault — a safe

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