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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: leaves · bank · board · fine · spell · suit · clip · fall

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. fall — the season
  3. clip — to cut
  4. bank — of a river
  5. spell — letters
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. spell — a short time
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. suit — in cards
  13. board — a committee
  14. clip — a video
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bank — for money
  17. clip — for paper
  18. spell — magic
  19. fine — all right
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bank — for money
  22. fall — to drop
  23. board — to get on
  24. fine — high quality

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