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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 · bank · spell · bay · key · wound · field · cue

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. cue — a signal
  3. key — in music
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. field — farmland
  6. bank — for money
  7. spell — magic
  8. field — a subject
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wound — an injury
  13. key — for a lock
  14. field — for sport
  15. key — the most important part
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. spell — a short time
  19. wound — an injury
  20. spell — letters
  21. cue — for pool
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. bank — for money
  24. lash — to lash out

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