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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: arm · spell · bay · roll · leaves · rash · bank · craft

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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. rash — on the skin
  4. roll — a cake
  5. spell — magic
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rash — a series
  11. bank — for money
  12. roll — a list
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. craft — a skill
  20. rash — hasty
  21. spell — letters
  22. craft — boats
  23. spell — a short time
  24. bay — a horse colour

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