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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: row · lash · bank · rock · band · nail · board · shower

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. row — to paddle
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. band — a ring
  5. bank — of a river
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. board — a committee
  9. shower — to wash
  10. band — a music group
  11. rock — a stone
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. shower — rain
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. board — to get on
  23. row — a line
  24. rock — music

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