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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
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: drill · toast · bank · mine · spell · chip · roll · wound

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — a short time
  5. roll — a cake
  6. drill — the tool
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — a practice
  11. wound — an injury
  12. chip — to eat
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bank — of a river
  15. roll — a list
  16. toast — bread
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. mine — for digging
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. chip — for betting
  21. spell — letters
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. wound — an injury

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