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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a grade
  3. ground — crushed
  4. spell — a short time
  5. mark — a trace
  6. ground — the earth
  7. band — a ring
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. ground — a position
  10. bank — for money
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bank — for money
  13. spell — magic
  14. suit — in cards
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. spell — letters
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. suit — to fit
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bank — of a river
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. band — a music group
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. suit — clothes

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