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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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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: craft · season · tube · lash · bank · pound

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. bank — for money
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. tube — a container
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bank — for money
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. season — of the year
  12. tube — the underground
  13. season — in sport
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pound — a weight
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. craft — a skill

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