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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: lash · bound · ground · key · bank · saw · lie · season

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. bound — tied together
  3. ground — a position
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bank — for money
  7. bound — certain
  8. key — the most important part
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bank — of a river
  13. key — in music
  14. saw — the tool
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. season — of the year
  17. ground — the earth
  18. bank — for money
  19. bound — obliged
  20. saw — the tool
  21. season — in sport
  22. key — for a lock
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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