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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 equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pound — a weight
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. can — a tin
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. kid — to tease
  9. can — a tin
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. bass — the fish
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. kid — child
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bass — low music
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. mark — a grade
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. mark — a trace

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