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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.

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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: bank · kick · spell · drill · stick · bowl · fine · coach

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bank — for money
  5. spell — magic
  6. kick — in football
  7. bank — of a river
  8. spell — a short time
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. drill — army training
  15. fine — all right
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bank — for money
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. drill — a practice
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bowl — a dish

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