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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 116 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: ground · rush · can · rock · scale · land · rash · bank

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bank — for money
  3. rush — hurry
  4. scale — size or range
  5. can — a tin
  6. rash — hasty
  7. can — to be able to
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. can — a tin
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. scale — in music
  13. rock — music
  14. rash — a series
  15. land — to come down
  16. bank — for money
  17. land — ground
  18. ground — a position
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bank — of a river
  23. land — a country
  24. ground — crushed

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