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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: deal · rash · suit · sharp · straw · rock · rest · bank

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bank — of a river
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bank — for money
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rest — a break
  11. suit — in cards
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. suit — to fit
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. deal — to handle
  19. rock — music
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rash — a series
  22. bank — for money
  23. suit — clothes
  24. sharp — clever

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