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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. craft — a skill
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bank — of a river
  7. spell — a short time
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. craft — boats
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. band — a ring
  15. spell — magic
  16. bank — for money
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. game — a match
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. band — a music group
  22. bear — the animal
  23. spell — letters
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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