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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. pop — to visit
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. rash — a series
  9. bound — certain
  10. season — of the year
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bound — obliged
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. pop — music
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bank — for money
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. pop — soda
  23. rash — hasty
  24. season — in sport

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