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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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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: dip · chest · bay · bank · bowl · rush · content · club

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. chest — of your body
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bank — for money
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. chest — a box
  8. dip — to sink
  9. chest — of your body
  10. content — happy
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. club — for dancing
  20. content — the amount
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. club — for golf
  23. club — a group
  24. content — videos and posts

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