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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. suit — in cards
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. scale — size or range
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bank — for money
  14. row — to paddle
  15. rest — a break
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bank — of a river
  18. rest — what's left
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. row — a line
  22. suit — to fit
  23. scale — in music
  24. rash — hasty

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