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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 116 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bank — for money
  4. spell — letters
  5. mate — to breed
  6. bore — to tire
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pop — to visit
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. bank — of a river
  12. spell — a short time
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bore — to drill
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bank — for money
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. mate — a partner
  19. pop — soda
  20. pop — music
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. wound — an injury
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. spell — magic

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