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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: land · date · branch · wave · drill · mouse · spell · stick

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — a short time
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. land — ground
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. land — to come down
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. spell — letters
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. drill — army training
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. land — a country
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. drill — a practice
  20. branch — a division
  21. drill — the tool
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wave — with your hand

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