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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: rash · season · mug · deal · cell · bank · bay · plane

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bank — of a river
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. season — in sport
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. cell — in biology
  9. season — of the year
  10. mug — a face
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. plane — a tool
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. rash — a series
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. rash — hasty
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — for money
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. cell — a phone
  24. mug — a cup

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