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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. hand — help
  3. pound — a weight
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bank — of a river
  9. can — a tin
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. object — a thing
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. object — an aim
  16. bank — for money
  17. toast — bread
  18. object — to protest
  19. can — a tin
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. hand — in cards
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. can — to be able to

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