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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 116 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: club · bank · lash · rock · last · spring · firm · cue

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bank — for money
  5. club — for golf
  6. bank — for money
  7. cue — a hint
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bank — of a river
  10. firm — a company
  11. club — a group
  12. firm — steady
  13. cue — a signal
  14. spring — of water
  15. last — finally
  16. last — final
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. last — to go on
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. rock — music
  21. spring — the season
  22. spring — a coil
  23. rock — a stone
  24. club — for dancing

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