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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 120 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: drill · file · rush · bank · bay · safe · bulb · ball

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  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. bay — a horse colour
  2. file — a tool
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bank — for money
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bank — for money
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. file — a document
  12. drill — a practice
  13. ball — a great time
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. drill — the tool
  16. file — a line of people
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rush — hurry
  21. drill — army training
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. ball — a dance
  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