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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: season · racket · lash · bank · bound · fine · chair · ground

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bank — of a river
  6. ground — the earth
  7. chair — a leader
  8. fine — all right
  9. bound — tied together
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — of the year
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bound — certain
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bank — for money
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. ground — a position
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bank — for money
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. bound — obliged

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