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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bank — of a river
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. row — a line
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a grade
  13. hand — in cards
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. mark — a trace
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bank — for money
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bank — for money
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. row — to paddle

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