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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. spring — a coil
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — to breed
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. court — of a king
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bank — for money
  14. spring — of water
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bank — for money
  17. spring — the season
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. branch — a division
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. court — for sport
  23. mate — a friend
  24. court — of law

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