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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 116 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: can · suit · spell · hide · wind · present · branch · stick

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. spell — magic
  3. can — a tin
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. present — a gift
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. spell — a short time
  9. can — a tin
  10. spell — letters
  11. wind — moving air
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. suit — in cards
  14. branch — a division
  15. wind — moving air
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. present — the time now
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. present — there
  24. can — to be able to

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