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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: file · ball · rush · fork · hide · dip · rash · bank

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bank — for money
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. file — a tool
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. ball — a great time
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rash — a series
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bank — for money
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. file — a document
  20. dip — to sink
  21. file — a line of people
  22. ball — a dance
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bank — of a river

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