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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: lash · roll · safe · stock · bank · march · racket · ground

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bank — for money
  3. march — music
  4. stock — goods
  5. bank — for money
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bank — of a river
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. stock — shares
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. roll — a list
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. ground — a position
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. roll — a cake
  19. march — the month
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. march — the month
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — the earth

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