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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: rock · fine · game · firm · lash · bank · bore · spell

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — a company
  5. rock — a stone
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. firm — decided
  8. spell — letters
  9. bank — for money
  10. fine — high quality
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bore — to tire
  13. game — wild animals
  14. rock — music
  15. spell — magic
  16. game — a match
  17. spell — a short time
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to drill
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. rock — to move gently

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