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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: bear · mug · bank · rush · jam · spell · board · field

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. field — for sport
  3. board — to get on
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. rush — hurry
  7. field — farmland
  8. spell — letters
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. mug — to rob
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. mug — a face
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. board — a committee
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bank — of a river
  17. mug — a cup
  18. field — a subject
  19. bear — the animal
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. spell — a short time
  22. bank — for money
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bank — for money

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