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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. cap — a hat
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. cap — of ice
  7. spell — a short time
  8. bear — the animal
  9. snap — to click
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bear — the animal
  14. spring — of water
  15. bank — for money
  16. spring — a coil
  17. cap — a lid
  18. spell — letters
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. spring — the season
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. bank — for money
  24. bore — to tire

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