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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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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bank — of a river
  3. rash — a series
  4. pop — soda
  5. bank — for money
  6. fall — to drop
  7. rest — a break
  8. bank — for money
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rock — a stone
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pop — to visit
  14. fall — the season
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. pop — music
  17. squash — the sport
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. squash — to crush
  23. rock — 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