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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: bank · wave · rash · land · race · rush · toast · bay

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bank — for money
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. toast — bread
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bank — of a river
  9. race — humankind
  10. land — a country
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rash — hasty
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. land — to come down
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bank — for money
  18. race — a contest
  19. rush — hurry
  20. race — the arms race
  21. land — ground
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rash — a series

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