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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: safe · band · field · wave · bank · coach · nail · snap

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. band — a ring
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. band — a music group
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. field — a subject
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. field — for sport
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. snap — to click
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. field — farmland
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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