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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. band — a ring
  4. rest — a break
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. present — the time now
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bank — for money
  12. scale — in music
  13. present — there
  14. rest — what's left
  15. club — a group
  16. spring — of water
  17. band — a music group
  18. rest — what's left
  19. spring — a coil
  20. club — for dancing
  21. spring — the season
  22. club — for golf
  23. present — a gift
  24. lash — an eyelash

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