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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 · rush · mug · leaves · hand · fork · firm · last

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. mug — a face
  3. fork — in a road
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. last — finally
  6. bank — for money
  7. mug — to rob
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — hurry
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. hand — in cards
  13. last — final
  14. bank — for money
  15. firm — a company
  16. hand — help
  17. firm — decided
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. last — to go on
  21. firm — steady
  22. bank — of a river
  23. mug — a cup
  24. leaves — lets stay

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