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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: lie · plane · march · spell · mine · net · bay · bank

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. spell — letters
  4. net — in sport
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. net — for catching
  8. bank — for money
  9. march — music
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bank — of a river
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bank — for money
  18. net — after costs
  19. march — the month
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. lie — to recline
  22. march — the month
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. mine — for digging

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