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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bank — for money
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. staff — employees
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. degree — temperature
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bass — low music
  12. rock — music
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bass — the fish
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. staff — employees
  19. degree — an amount
  20. rock — a stone
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. degree — from a university
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. staff — a stick

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