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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. spell — magic
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rash — a series
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. wound — an injury
  11. toast — bread
  12. bank — for money
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. bank — of a river
  15. rule — a law
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. bank — for money
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rule — government
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. spell — a short time
  24. spell — letters

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