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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.

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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: degree · arm · wave · ball · bank · ruler · wound · spell

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. ball — a dance
  4. wound — an injury
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bank — of a river
  8. ball — a great time
  9. degree — temperature
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. wound — an injury
  12. degree — from a university
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. degree — an amount
  19. spell — magic
  20. bank — for money
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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