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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: mug · leaves · kick · tube · pound · bank · cabinet · spell

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. mug — to rob
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. tube — a container
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bank — for money
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mug — a cup
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. tube — the underground
  12. mug — a face
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — letters
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bank — of a river
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bank — for money
  22. kick — in football
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. spell — a short time

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