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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: lash · hand · ball · fine · rock · coach · bank · prune

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ball — a great time
  3. rock — music
  4. hand — in cards
  5. rock — a stone
  6. prune — to trim
  7. fine — high quality
  8. hand — help
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. bank — for money
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bank — of a river
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. prune — to trim
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. fine — all right
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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