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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spring · fan · mark · face · lash · bank · perch · rock

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rock — music
  4. spring — a coil
  5. spring — of water
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bank — for money
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. spring — the season
  13. face — to confront
  14. mark — a grade
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. perch — the fish
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to point toward
  19. bank — for money
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bank — of a river
  24. fan — a supporter

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