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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. saw — the tool
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bank — of a river
  6. vault — a safe
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bark — to shout
  9. current — of water
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. current — happening now
  14. hand — help
  15. current — electric
  16. bank — for money
  17. hand — in cards
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. mate — a partner
  20. spell — letters
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bank — for money
  24. hand — part of the body

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