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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: rest · nail · pit · band · bank · ball · rush · land

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bank — for money
  5. rush — hurry
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bank — for money
  8. pit — in a race
  9. land — to come down
  10. bank — of a river
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. pit — a hole
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. land — a country
  18. ball — a dance
  19. band — a music group
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. land — ground
  24. rest — a break

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