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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: rash · lean · hand · bank · prune · chip · last · suit

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bank — for money
  3. last — finally
  4. prune — to trim
  5. hand — help
  6. last — final
  7. rash — a series
  8. suit — in cards
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lean — thin
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. hand — in cards
  14. prune — to trim
  15. last — to go on
  16. bank — for money
  17. rash — hasty
  18. chip — for betting
  19. lean — to bend
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bank — of a river
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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