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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: drill · ball · wind · mug · spell · firm · bank · arm

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. spell — a short time
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. mug — a cup
  6. wind — moving air
  7. drill — army training
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bank — of a river
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. firm — a company
  12. spell — letters
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bank — for money
  15. drill — the tool
  16. bank — for money
  17. firm — steady
  18. ball — a great time
  19. mug — a face
  20. drill — a practice
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. firm — decided
  23. spell — magic
  24. ball — a round shape

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