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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rock — music
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — magic
  7. lie — to recline
  8. can — to be able to
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bank — of a river
  11. can — a tin
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bank — for money
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bank — for money
  19. bulb — for light
  20. spell — letters
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. can — a tin
  24. coach — a trainer

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