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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 120 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  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. spell — magic
  2. spell — a short time
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. object — a thing
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bear — the animal
  7. spell — letters
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. court — of law
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. prune — to trim
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. court — of a king
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. court — for sport
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. deal — to handle
  20. prune — to trim
  21. object — an aim
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. object — to protest
  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