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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: content · lean · bank · present · bass · rush

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. bank — of a river
  3. lean — thin
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. present — the time now
  6. lean — to bend
  7. present — there
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. content — happy
  12. bank — for money
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bank — for money
  16. bass — the fish
  17. present — a gift
  18. bass — low music

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