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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. wake — a trail
  3. vault — a safe
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. cue — a signal
  10. bank — for money
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. face — part of the head
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. band — a ring
  15. rush — hurry
  16. cue — for pool
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. cue — a hint
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. face — to point toward
  21. band — a music group
  22. bank — for money
  23. face — to confront
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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