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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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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: ball · bank · nail · snap · hand · bulb · rush · bass

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bank — for money
  5. bass — the fish
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. snap — to click
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bank — of a river
  11. ball — a great time
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bass — low music
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bank — for money
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. hand — in cards
  24. hand — help

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