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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: tube · lash · bank · pit · bark · chair · bowl · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — steady
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. pit — in a race
  9. chair — a leader
  10. pit — a hole
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bank — for money
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. tube — a container
  23. firm — decided
  24. bark — to shout

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