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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: snap · spell · dip · key · nail · bank · object · mug

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bank — for money
  3. object — a thing
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. object — an aim
  6. spell — magic
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. key — for a lock
  9. object — to protest
  10. mug — a face
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. key — the most important part
  13. spell — a short time
  14. key — in music
  15. mug — to rob
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. mug — a cup
  18. snap — to click
  19. bank — of a river
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bank — for money
  23. dip — to sink
  24. spell — letters

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