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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. lean — to bend
  3. pop — soda
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. spell — magic
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. lean — thin
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — of water
  12. spell — letters
  13. branch — a division
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. pop — to visit
  16. spring — the season
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — the tool
  19. spell — a short time
  20. foot — a measure
  21. pass — a permit
  22. drill — army training
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. pop — music

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