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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 116 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: dip · suit · march · ball · rush · cabinet · band · bank

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. march — the month
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. band — a music group
  7. bank — for money
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. dip — to sink
  11. ball — a dance
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bank — of a river
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. march — music
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. rush — hurry
  19. ball — a great time
  20. march — the month
  21. band — a ring
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bank — for money

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