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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. spell — a short time
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. tube — the underground
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. rash — a series
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — a practice
  9. bank — of a river
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. drill — the tool
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — decided
  14. rash — hasty
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bank — for money
  17. spell — letters
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. fine — high quality
  20. spell — magic
  21. tube — a container
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. fine — all right
  24. firm — steady

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