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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 120 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: bass · tube · bark · can · lash · pass · bank · charge

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bass — low music
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. charge — in control
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bank — for money
  10. charge — a price
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. can — a tin
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. tube — the underground
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bank — for money
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. charge — electricity

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