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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 · mark · chip · spring · ball · march · bank · fine

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. spring — a coil
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. ball — a great time
  6. march — the month
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bank — of a river
  9. spring — the season
  10. march — music
  11. mark — a trace
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bank — for money
  16. fine — high quality
  17. march — the month
  18. chip — to eat
  19. fine — all right
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bank — for money
  23. mark — a grade
  24. fine — a penalty

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