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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.

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: rash · wound · season · rest · bank · roll · lie · mine

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. mine — for digging
  5. lie — to recline
  6. season — of the year
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. roll — a list
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. rash — a series
  11. bank — of a river
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. season — in sport
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. rash — hasty
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. wound — an injury
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rest — a break
  20. rest — what's left
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. roll — a cake
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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