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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: object · spell · deal · branch · mark · toast

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. object — a thing
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. toast — bread
  6. mark — a trace
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. object — to protest
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — to handle
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — a short time
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — a division
  15. object — an aim
  16. spell — letters
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a grade

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