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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 120 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: bound · firm · chip · saw · spell · leaves · clip · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. saw — the tool
  3. spell — magic
  4. bank — of a river
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. chip — to eat
  8. clip — a video
  9. bank — for money
  10. firm — decided
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. saw — the tool
  13. clip — to cut
  14. firm — a company
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. clip — for paper
  17. firm — steady
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — letters
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bound — obliged

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