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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
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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: stick · rock · lie · squash · mug · last · racket · bank

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. mug — a face
  3. squash — to crush
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mug — a cup
  7. squash — the sport
  8. last — final
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. last — to go on
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. lie — to recline
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bank — of a river
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. rock — music
  19. bank — for money
  20. last — finally
  21. bank — for money
  22. mug — to rob
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. racket — a loud noise

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