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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
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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: kick · firm · sharp · spring · bank · lash · staff · bear

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bear — the animal
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. firm — decided
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. firm — steady
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. staff — a stick
  9. bear — the animal
  10. spring — of water
  11. sharp — clever
  12. staff — employees
  13. spring — a coil
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bank — for money
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. spring — the season
  20. kick — in football
  21. staff — employees
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. firm — a company
  24. bank — for money

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