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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bank — of a river
  3. present — a gift
  4. content — the amount
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. bank — for money
  7. present — the time now
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to drill
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bear — the animal
  12. spell — magic
  13. bear — the animal
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. content — happy
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. bore — to tire
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. present — there
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. spell — a short time
  22. bank — for money
  23. mark — a grade
  24. spell — letters

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