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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 124 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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. bank — of a river
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. spring — of water
  6. spring — a coil
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. bank — for money
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bound — obliged
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — certain
  19. prune — to trim
  20. suit — to fit
  21. squash — the sport
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. spring — the season
  24. squash — to crush

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