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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 · mug · fall · land · saw · dip · bound · row

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. mug — a cup
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. mug — to rob
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bank — for money
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bank — for money
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bank — of a river
  11. fall — the season
  12. bound — certain
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bound — tied together
  15. land — to come down
  16. saw — the tool
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mug — a face
  19. dip — to sink
  20. land — ground
  21. row — a line
  22. fall — to drop
  23. land — a country
  24. dip — to dunk

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