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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: rash · saw · rush · bound · wind · pop · craft · bank

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bound — certain
  4. wind — moving air
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bound — obliged
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pop — soda
  9. pop — music
  10. bank — for money
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bank — of a river
  16. craft — boats
  17. bound — tied together
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. pop — to visit
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. rash — hasty
  22. craft — a skill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. craft — a handicraft

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