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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rule · game · board · lash · toast · spring · season · bank

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. game — a match
  3. bank — of a river
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — government
  10. game — wild animals
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. board — to get on
  13. bank — for money
  14. rule — a law
  15. spring — of water
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. spring — a coil
  18. bank — for money
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. spring — the season
  22. toast — bread
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. board — a committee

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