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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 · chip · ball · spell · cap · fork · spring · bound

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bank — for money
  4. spring — of water
  5. cap — of ice
  6. spring — a coil
  7. ball — a great time
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. spring — the season
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bank — of a river
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bank — for money
  15. spell — letters
  16. cap — a lid
  17. chip — to eat
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bound — certain
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. spell — magic
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bound — tied together

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