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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. bank — for money
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. shower — rain
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rash — a series
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. rush — hurry
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — for dancing
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. club — a group
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. shower — to wash
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pound — a weight

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