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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 · suit · capital · bank · bass · safe · wake · row

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bank — for money
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — to paddle
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. capital — a city
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bass — the fish
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. bass — low music
  16. capital — money
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. row — a line
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. wake — a trail

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