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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: rock · rush · roll · jam · game · dip · bank · row

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. game — wild animals
  3. row — to paddle
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. rock — a stone
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. game — a match
  8. bank — for money
  9. roll — a cake
  10. bank — of a river
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. row — a line
  13. rush — hurry
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. dip — to sink
  17. rock — music
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bank — for money
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. roll — a list

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