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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: bank · leaves · wake · bear · saw · hand · lash · bore

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  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. bore — to drill
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. hand — help
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. saw — the tool
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. wake — a trail
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bank — for money
  14. hand — in cards
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bank — for money
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bear — the animal
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — of a tree
  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