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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 116 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: ball · plane · saw · march · bank · coach · bulb · spell

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. march — the month
  4. bulb — for light
  5. march — the month
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bank — for money
  8. ball — a dance
  9. saw — the tool
  10. spell — magic
  11. ball — a great time
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. spell — a short time
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. march — music
  17. bulb — for light
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. spell — letters
  22. saw — the tool
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bank — of a river

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