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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: leaves · date · roll · lash · jam · bank · nail · rash

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bank — for money
  3. date — the fruit
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bank — for money
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. rash — hasty
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bank — of a river
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. rash — a series
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. roll — a list
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. date — on the calendar

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