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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: band · craft · patient · bank · foot · squash · rush · mouse

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. craft — boats
  3. band — a music group
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rush — hurry
  6. squash — the sport
  7. bank — for money
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. craft — a skill
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. squash — to crush
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bank — for money
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. band — a ring
  24. foot — a measure

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