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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: can · bay · file · firm · bank · club · bat · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. file — a tool
  3. firm — steady
  4. file — a line of people
  5. rush — hurry
  6. can — a tin
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bank — of a river
  9. firm — a company
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. firm — decided
  13. can — a tin
  14. file — a document
  15. bank — for money
  16. club — for golf
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bat — the animal
  19. can — to be able to
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for dancing
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. bat — for baseball
  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