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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bay · rush · row · hand · arm · bank · pit · fan

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. pit — a hole
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bank — for money
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. row — a line
  9. bank — for money
  10. hand — in cards
  11. hand — help
  12. bank — of a river
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. row — to paddle
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. arm — part of the body

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