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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bank — of a river
  6. row — a line
  7. stock — shares
  8. press — a publisher
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. track — to keep track
  11. snap — to click
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. press — newspapers
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. stock — goods
  17. craft — a skill
  18. track — a path
  19. bank — for money
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. track — a song
  22. press — to push
  23. craft — boats
  24. lash — to lash out

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