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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 120 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: prune · bank · mug · racket · bound · lash · spell · mine

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. bank — for money
  4. bound — certain
  5. spell — a short time
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bound — tied together
  13. mug — a face
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bank — for money
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. spell — magic
  19. bank — of a river
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. prune — to trim
  24. spell — letters

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