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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: lean · bark · foot · spell · pop · bear · bank · pass

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. lean — thin
  3. spell — magic
  4. pop — soda
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bark — to shout
  10. pop — music
  11. lean — to bend
  12. foot — a measure
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. spell — letters
  15. bank — for money
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. spell — a short time
  24. pop — to visit

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