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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: racket · jam · deal · bank · object · spring · spell · face

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. spell — a short time
  4. object — an aim
  5. spring — the season
  6. bank — of a river
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — to protest
  9. face — to point toward
  10. spell — letters
  11. face — to confront
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. deal — to handle
  16. spring — of water
  17. spring — a coil
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. face — part of the head
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. bank — for money
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bank — for money
  24. spell — magic

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