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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: stand · lash · bank · mouse · rock · wound · drill · sharp

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. stand — to bear
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. wound — an injury
  11. sharp — clever
  12. wound — an injury
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. rock — a stone
  17. drill — a practice
  18. rock — music
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bank — for money
  22. drill — the tool
  23. drill — army training
  24. lash — to lash out

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