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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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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. suit — clothes
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. band — a music group
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. band — a ring
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. suit — in cards
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bank — of a river
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bank — for money
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. deal — to handle

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