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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: bank · bark · firm · safe · spell · racket · fall · bear

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. fall — the season
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. fall — to drop
  6. firm — decided
  7. bark — to shout
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — steady
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bear — the animal
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. spell — letters
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bank — for money
  18. fall — to drop
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bank — for money
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bank — of a river
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bark — of a tree

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