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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bank — for money
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. staff — a stick
  7. ground — the earth
  8. band — a ring
  9. staff — employees
  10. deal — to handle
  11. ground — crushed
  12. roll — a list
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. ground — a position
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. roll — a cake
  17. staff — employees
  18. bank — for money
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. bank — of a river
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. suit — clothes
  24. band — a music group

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