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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. craft — boats
  5. fork — in a road
  6. craft — a skill
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. spring — a coil
  11. bank — of a river
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bank — for money
  15. fine — all right
  16. pop — soda
  17. bank — for money
  18. pop — to visit
  19. spring — of water
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. spring — the season
  22. spell — magic
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pop — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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