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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bound — obliged
  3. prune — to trim
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bank — for money
  6. spell — letters
  7. season — in sport
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bound — certain
  11. root — of a word
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. spell — magic
  15. season — of the year
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. prune — to trim
  20. root — the cause
  21. bound — tied together
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. spell — a short time

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