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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: club · object · last · bank · rush · bulb · stand · rash

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bank — for money
  4. stand — to bear
  5. club — for dancing
  6. rash — a series
  7. last — to go on
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rash — hasty
  11. object — to protest
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bulb — for light
  14. club — a group
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. object — a thing
  19. last — finally
  20. object — an aim
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bank — for money
  24. last — final

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