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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pop — music
  3. object — an aim
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. face — to point toward
  6. pop — soda
  7. object — a thing
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bank — of a river
  10. net — in sport
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — to bear
  15. net — for catching
  16. pop — to visit
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. face — to confront
  19. net — after costs
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. object — to protest
  24. bank — for money

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