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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. march — the month
  3. staff — a stick
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. mine — for digging
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bank — for money
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. staff — employees
  14. cap — of ice
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. staff — employees
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. cap — a lid
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. march — the month
  21. march — music
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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