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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. suit — to fit
  3. degree — temperature
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bank — for money
  6. suit — in cards
  7. club — for dancing
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. date — the fruit
  10. club — a group
  11. bank — for money
  12. degree — from a university
  13. degree — an amount
  14. club — for golf
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bass — the fish
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. bass — low music
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bank — of a river
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — hurry

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