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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: net · bank · lash · bear · swing · racket · foot · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. swing — to play on
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bear — the animal
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. net — in sport
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — after costs
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bank — for money
  17. foot — a measure
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bank — for money
  20. swing — music
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. bank — of a river
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. foot — the bottom

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