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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. spell — a short time
  3. firm — decided
  4. snap — to click
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — steady
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bank — for money
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. spell — magic
  12. root — the cause
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. march — the month
  16. rash — hasty
  17. root — of a word
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. march — music
  21. rash — a series
  22. spell — letters
  23. root — of a plant
  24. march — the month

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