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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: net · mine · spell · bay · mug · bank · plane · staff

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a cup
  4. staff — employees
  5. mine — for digging
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bank — for money
  8. staff — employees
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. net — in sport
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. spell — letters
  13. net — after costs
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. staff — a stick
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. net — for catching
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. spell — magic
  22. bank — for money
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. mug — a face

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