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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: jam · bank · date · can · wake · lash · press · suit

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. suit — clothes
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bank — of a river
  6. suit — to fit
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bank — for money
  10. press — to push
  11. can — a tin
  12. suit — in cards
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. press — newspapers
  17. date — the fruit
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bank — for money
  22. press — a publisher
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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