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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: wound · mine · row · tube · deal · can · bank · branch

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bank — for money
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. mine — for digging
  5. can — to be able to
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. can — a tin
  8. tube — the underground
  9. wound — an injury
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. deal — to handle
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bank — of a river
  15. can — a tin
  16. tube — a container
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bank — for money
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. row — a line
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. branch — a division

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