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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: ball · racket · rash · band · jam · current · calf · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. rash — hasty
  3. current — happening now
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rash — a series
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. band — a ring
  9. bank — for money
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. band — a music group
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. current — electric
  20. bank — for money
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. current — of water
  24. calf — a young animal

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