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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: pit · bank · craft · lash · wax · rule · game · racket

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bank — of a river
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bank — for money
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. rule — a law
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. pit — in a race
  12. game — wild animals
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — boats
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. game — a match
  22. bank — for money
  23. wax — to grow
  24. rule — government

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