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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. spell — letters
  3. season — in sport
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — a company
  14. ball — a great time
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ball — a dance
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rush — hurry
  19. season — of the year
  20. bank — of a river
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — a short time
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bark — to shout

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