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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. spell — letters
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. charge — in control
  9. pass — a permit
  10. roll — a list
  11. charge — electricity
  12. roll — a cake
  13. stock — goods
  14. charge — a price
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. spell — a short time
  18. stock — shares
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bank — for money
  22. branch — a division
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. branch — of a tree

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