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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. prune — to trim
  4. rest — what's left
  5. band — a music group
  6. bank — for money
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. band — a ring
  11. mate — to breed
  12. spell — letters
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. mate — a friend
  16. prune — to trim
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bank — of a river
  19. rest — a break
  20. bank — for money
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. mate — a partner

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