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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 120 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  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. lash — to lash out
  2. bank — for money
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bulb — for light
  5. face — to confront
  6. rock — music
  7. race — a contest
  8. craft — boats
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. ball — a dance
  12. face — to point toward
  13. race — the arms race
  14. craft — a skill
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. race — humankind
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. ball — a great time
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bulb — for light
  23. face — part of the head
  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