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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  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. bank — of a river
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bank — for money
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bank — for money
  7. roll — a list
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pit — in a race
  11. game — wild animals
  12. spell — letters
  13. plane — a tool
  14. game — a match
  15. spell — a short time
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. staff — a stick
  18. lie — to recline
  19. roll — a cake
  20. staff — employees
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. staff — employees
  23. game — a kind of play
  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