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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — tied together
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. foot — a measure
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. spell — a short time
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. spell — letters
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. track — a song
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a path
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. bank — for money
  23. mine — for digging
  24. bound — obliged

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