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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — a short time
  5. ground — the earth
  6. track — a path
  7. lie — to recline
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. snap — to click
  10. ground — crushed
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. bank — for money
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bank — of a river
  17. ground — a position
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. spell — letters
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. track — a song
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. track — to keep track
  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