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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. bank — of a river
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stock — shares
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. stock — goods
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. board — to get on
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mouse — for a computer

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