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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: toast · bank · net · sharp · rock · arm · bass · season

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. bank — for money
  5. bass — low music
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. net — in sport
  8. bass — the fish
  9. season — of the year
  10. toast — bread
  11. bank — for money
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. sharp — clever
  14. net — for catching
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. season — in sport
  17. rock — music
  18. bank — of a river
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. net — after costs
  24. rock — a stone

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