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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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · bear · bank · band · mug · patient · rest · game

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. spell — letters
  3. band — a music group
  4. game — a match
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bear — the animal
  7. game — wild animals
  8. mug — a cup
  9. spell — magic
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. mug — a face
  16. bank — of a river
  17. mug — to rob
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bank — for money
  21. spell — a short time
  22. rest — a break
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. band — a ring

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