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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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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 · stem · bank · pound · cabinet · race · swing · wax

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. swing — in golf
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. race — the arms race
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bank — of a river
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. swing — to play on
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. swing — music
  17. bank — for money
  18. race — humankind
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. pound — a weight
  21. stem — to come from
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. race — a contest
  24. bank — for money

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