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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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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bank — for money
  4. spell — letters
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. spell — a short time
  7. mug — a cup
  8. spell — magic
  9. bound — tied together
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. bank — of a river
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. lean — to bend
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. lean — thin
  18. mug — a face
  19. net — after costs
  20. bound — certain
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bank — for money
  23. chair — a leader
  24. net — in sport

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