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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. club — for dancing
  3. club — a group
  4. cue — a hint
  5. pass — a permit
  6. land — to come down
  7. bank — of a river
  8. cue — for pool
  9. spell — magic
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — letters
  13. spring — of water
  14. spring — the season
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bank — for money
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bank — for money
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. land — a country
  23. land — ground
  24. club — for golf

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