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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 120 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
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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: deal · mate · leaves · bank · bear · trunk · object · spell

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bear — the animal
  5. spell — magic
  6. deal — to handle
  7. object — to protest
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. spell — a short time
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bank — for money
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. mate — a partner
  16. spell — letters
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. object — a thing
  19. bank — for money
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bear — the animal
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. object — an aim
  24. bank — of a river

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