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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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Word bank
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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. deal — to handle
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. spell — magic
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. cell — in biology
  11. bank — for money
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. cell — a phone
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. tube — the underground
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. tube — a container
  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