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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: bound · land · march · lash · deal · bear · tube · bank

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. march — the month
  3. land — to come down
  4. bear — the animal
  5. tube — a container
  6. march — music
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bear — the animal
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bound — certain
  14. tube — the underground
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bound — obliged
  18. march — the month
  19. land — a country
  20. bank — for money
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bank — for money
  24. land — ground

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