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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: spell · bank · arm · pitcher · plane · branch · rush · cap

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bank — for money
  3. cap — of ice
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. spell — magic
  7. rush — hurry
  8. plane — a tool
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. spell — a short time
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. cap — a lid
  17. branch — a division
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. bank — for money
  23. spell — letters
  24. arm — a part of something

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