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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: ball · spell · mark · bank · lean · bound · suit · mate

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  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. lean — thin
  2. ball — a great time
  3. suit — in cards
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bound — certain
  6. spell — magic
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bank — for money
  9. lean — to bend
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bound — tied together
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mate — a friend
  15. spell — letters
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. mark — a grade
  18. suit — to fit
  19. spell — a short time
  20. mark — a trace
  21. ball — a dance
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bank — of a river
  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