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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bank — of a river
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bank — for money
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — obliged
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. key — the most important part
  13. spell — letters
  14. tube — a container
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bore — to drill
  18. key — in music
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mate — a partner
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bore — to tire

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