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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — letters
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bank — for money
  8. season — of the year
  9. season — in sport
  10. bass — low music
  11. bank — of a river
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — a thing
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. object — an aim
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bass — the fish
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bear — the animal
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. tube — a container

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