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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. bear — the animal
  3. spell — a short time
  4. deal — to handle
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — a weight
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. roll — a cake
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bank — of a river
  11. spell — letters
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — the fish
  14. bear — the animal
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. bank — for money
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. date — the fruit
  22. spell — magic
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. bank — for money

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