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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: bass · bank · row · nail · bulb · coach · bat · suit

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. row — to paddle
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bank — for money
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. row — a line
  13. bass — low music
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bat — the animal
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bank — for money
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bass — the fish
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bank — of a river

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