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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. bank — for money
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. last — final
  5. last — finally
  6. rash — a series
  7. band — a music group
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rash — hasty
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. bass — the fish
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. bass — low music
  17. toast — bread
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. band — a ring
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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