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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.

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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: trunk · spell · bank · suit · pound · squash · key · fan

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — letters
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. key — the most important part
  6. squash — to crush
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. bank — for money
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. key — in music
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. key — for a lock
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bank — of a river
  15. squash — the sport
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. spell — a short time
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pound — a weight
  23. bank — for money
  24. suit — clothes

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