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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 120 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: wave · arm · band · bank · nail · lie · mouse · pop

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. pop — soda
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pop — to visit
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bank — for money
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. lie — to recline
  19. band — a ring
  20. band — a music group
  21. bank — for money
  22. pop — music
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. arm — part of the body

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