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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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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. craft — boats
  5. net — for catching
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bank — for money
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rule — government
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. band — a ring
  14. net — after costs
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. rule — a law
  18. bass — low music
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. craft — a skill
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rush — hurry
  23. band — a music group
  24. net — in sport

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