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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. spell — magic
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — an injury
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. spell — letters
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. branch — a division
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mark — a grade
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mark — a trace

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