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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. craft — boats
  3. vault — a safe
  4. capital — money
  5. saw — the tool
  6. craft — a skill
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bank — of a river
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. capital — a city
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bank — for money
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — a committee
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bank — for money
  22. board — to get on
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. rush — to hurry

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