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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 120 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: suit · field · spell · tube · mark · branch · bank · row

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. row — a line
  3. bank — for money
  4. spell — a short time
  5. row — to paddle
  6. suit — in cards
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bank — of a river
  10. field — for sport
  11. suit — to fit
  12. tube — a container
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mark — a grade
  16. spell — letters
  17. branch — a division
  18. field — a subject
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. field — farmland
  21. bank — for money
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — the underground
  24. spell — magic

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