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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: squash · mouse · bank · suit · patient · bound · pitch · spell

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bound — certain
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. bound — obliged
  9. squash — to crush
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bank — of a river
  12. spell — letters
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. squash — the sport
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. spell — magic
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. pitch — completely
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. spell — a short time
  24. patient — a sick person

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