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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bound — obliged
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bound — certain
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. band — a ring
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — hasty
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. rash — a series
  17. band — a music group
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. bank — of a river
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bound — tied together
  24. mouse — the animal

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