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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: bank · mate · band · nail · deal · rush · kick · rash

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. kick — in football
  5. mate — to breed
  6. rash — a series
  7. mate — a partner
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mate — a friend
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bank — for money
  12. band — a ring
  13. bank — of a river
  14. deal — to handle
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bank — for money
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. rush — hurry
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. rash — hasty
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. band — a music group

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