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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: staff · coach · wind · squash · bass · bank · toast · jam

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bass — the fish
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. staff — a stick
  11. toast — bread
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. squash — the sport
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. bass — low music
  17. staff — employees
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bank — for money
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. squash — to crush
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. staff — employees

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