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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rush · plane · bank · band · kick · rash · club · bark

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bank — of a river
  5. club — for dancing
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. club — a group
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bank — for money
  11. club — for golf
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rash — a series
  15. band — a music group
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. kick — in football
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bark — to shout
  23. rush — hurry
  24. band — a ring

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