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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
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: lie · nail · spell · leaves · swing · cell · bark · bank

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. cell — in biology
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bark — to shout
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — to play on
  10. bank — of a river
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bank — for money
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. swing — music
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. spell — magic
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. spell — letters
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bank — for money

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