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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 116 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — letters
  3. fall — the season
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bank — of a river
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. spell — magic
  11. hand — in cards
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. rock — music
  15. fall — to drop
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. fall — to drop
  20. wake — a trail
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. rock — a stone
  23. plane — a tool
  24. hand — help

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