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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 116 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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mark — a grade
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bank — for money
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bank — of a river
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. field — for sport
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. field — a subject
  14. mark — a trace
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bank — for money
  17. hand — in cards
  18. field — farmland
  19. hand — help
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. dip — to sink
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. dip — to dunk

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