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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — a face
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. vault — a safe
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bank — for money
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bank — for money
  12. net — in sport
  13. net — after costs
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bank — of a river
  19. net — for catching
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. bound — certain
  23. fork — in a road
  24. lash — to lash out

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