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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 116 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
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: net · spell · bank · mine · leaves · bore · lean · pound

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. mine — for digging
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bore — to drill
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bank — for money
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. lean — thin
  11. bank — of a river
  12. spell — letters
  13. lean — to bend
  14. spell — a short time
  15. pound — a weight
  16. net — in sport
  17. net — for catching
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bore — to tire
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. net — after costs
  22. bank — for money
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. mine — belonging to me

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