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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: rest · rash · ball · bank · bass · mug · land · fan

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rash — a series
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bank — for money
  9. rash — hasty
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bass — low music
  12. mug — a cup
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. land — to come down
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bass — the fish
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. mug — a face
  21. land — ground
  22. land — a country
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. fan — a supporter

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