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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: mouse · arm · suit · ruler · degree · march · lean · bank

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. march — the month
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bank — of a river
  5. degree — from a university
  6. march — music
  7. march — the month
  8. bank — for money
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — thin
  11. degree — temperature
  12. degree — an amount
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. lean — to bend
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. mouse — the 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