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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: mug · mark · nail · spell · stick · bank · suit · rush

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rush — hurry
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — magic
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a grade
  11. spell — letters
  12. mug — a face
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bank — of a river
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. mug — to rob
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mark — a trace
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bank — for money
  24. rush — to hurry

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