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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: rush · date · wave · bank · ball · spell · drill · fan

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bank — of a river
  4. ball — a great time
  5. spell — magic
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. rush — hurry
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bank — for money
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. spell — letters
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. drill — a practice
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bank — for money
  17. drill — the tool
  18. ball — a dance
  19. spell — a short time
  20. drill — army training
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. rush — to hurry

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