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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: firm · bank · lie · sharp · spring · spell · present · court

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. court — of a king
  3. spell — a short time
  4. firm — decided
  5. bank — for money
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. spell — magic
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. spring — a coil
  10. court — for sport
  11. present — a gift
  12. bank — for money
  13. lie — to recline
  14. spring — the season
  15. firm — steady
  16. court — of law
  17. firm — a company
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. sharp — clever
  20. present — there
  21. spring — of water
  22. present — the time now
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. spell — letters

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