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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: suit · face · nail · spring · rock · fall · rash · bank

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. face — to point toward
  3. spring — of water
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bank — for money
  7. suit — in cards
  8. rock — music
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bank — of a river
  12. rash — a series
  13. face — part of the head
  14. rock — a stone
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. face — to confront
  17. spring — a coil
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bank — for money
  20. fall — the season
  21. rash — hasty
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. fall — to drop

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