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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 120 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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. rush — hurry
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. dip — to sink
  8. stand — to bear
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bank — for money
  11. pit — a hole
  12. rash — hasty
  13. bank — for money
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — in a race
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. mine — an explosive

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