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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. season — in sport
  3. season — of the year
  4. last — final
  5. bank — for money
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bank — of a river
  12. spell — magic
  13. last — finally
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. last — to go on
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. spell — a short time
  20. bank — for money
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. vault — a safe
  24. lie — to recline

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