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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: plane · club · bank · rash · racket · ruler · pitcher · band

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. rash — hasty
  3. band — a ring
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. rash — a series
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. band — a music group
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. club — a group
  16. plane — a tool
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. club — for golf
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bank — for money

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