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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: bank · mate · roll · spell · rush · pop · plane · bay

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. rush — hurry
  5. pop — music
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pop — to visit
  8. spell — magic
  9. mate — a partner
  10. roll — a list
  11. roll — a cake
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — a short time
  17. pop — soda
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. roll — on a roll

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