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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: spell · cell · suit · can · bowl · saw · bank · pound

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bank — for money
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. suit — clothes
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. can — a tin
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. can — to be able to
  11. spell — magic
  12. can — a tin
  13. spell — letters
  14. spell — a short time
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pound — a weight
  21. saw — the tool
  22. cell — a phone
  23. bank — for money
  24. cell — in biology

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