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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spell · bowl · band · mark · fork · track · mug · bank

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. track — a path
  3. bank — for money
  4. mug — a cup
  5. spell — a short time
  6. track — a song
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. band — a ring
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. track — to keep track
  15. fork — in a road
  16. mug — to rob
  17. band — a music group
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. spell — magic
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. spell — letters
  23. bank — for money
  24. fork — a garden tool

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