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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 · field · rest · roll · coach · bore · bank · rash

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. rest — what's left
  3. roll — a list
  4. bore — to tire
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. rash — hasty
  10. staff — a stick
  11. bore — to drill
  12. staff — employees
  13. rash — a series
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. roll — a cake
  16. field — for sport
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. field — a subject
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rest — a break
  21. staff — employees
  22. field — farmland
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. coach — a trainer

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