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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  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. fan — to cool the air
  2. bank — for money
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. clip — a video
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. board — to get on
  12. bank — of a river
  13. clip — for paper
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. clip — to cut
  16. board — a committee
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. season — of the year
  19. current — electric
  20. current — of water
  21. current — happening now
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bank — for money
  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