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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bank — for money
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. spell — magic
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bank — for money
  8. board — to get on
  9. game — wild animals
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. board — a committee
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. craft — a skill
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. deal — to handle
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. spell — letters
  21. bank — of a river
  22. game — a match
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. board — a flat piece

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