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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: board · pound · bank · spring · lash · swing · bat · lie

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bat — the animal
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. pound — a weight
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bank — for money
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. swing — music
  17. bank — of a river
  18. board — a committee
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. bank — for money
  22. spring — the season
  23. spring — a coil
  24. swing — to play on

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