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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: bark · kick · toast · suit · bank · board · spell · bear

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bank — for money
  3. spell — letters
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. toast — bread
  7. bear — the animal
  8. suit — in cards
  9. kick — in football
  10. suit — to fit
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bank — for money
  14. bark — to shout
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bank — of a river
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. spell — a short time
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. board — to get on

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