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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. kick — in football
  3. land — ground
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. firm — decided
  7. saw — the tool
  8. firm — a company
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. firm — steady
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — a tool
  15. club — a group
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. club — for golf
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. land — a country
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. club — for dancing
  24. land — to come down

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