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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. bank — of a river
  3. field — a subject
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. spell — letters
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bank — for money
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bank — for money
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. spell — magic
  18. staff — employees
  19. bear — the animal
  20. staff — a stick
  21. prune — to trim
  22. field — for sport
  23. spell — a short time
  24. staff — employees

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