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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bank — for money
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. spell — letters
  6. mate — a partner
  7. plane — a tool
  8. field — farmland
  9. branch — a division
  10. mate — a friend
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. field — a subject
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. pit — a hole
  15. mate — to breed
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. pit — in a race
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. field — for sport
  20. spell — magic
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bank — of a river
  24. spell — a short time

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