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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lash · stem · bowl · mate · bank · wind

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bank — of a river
  4. mate — a friend
  5. bank — for money
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. stem — to come from
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. mate — to breed
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bank — for money
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. wind — moving air
  18. stem — of a plant

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