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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 116 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: lash · pass · bank · firm · stick · hand · wound · pop

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  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. pass — to succeed
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. hand — in cards
  4. hand — help
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. wound — an injury
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bank — for money
  10. firm — a company
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. wound — an injury
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. pop — soda
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. firm — decided
  19. bank — for money
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. firm — steady
  22. bank — of a river
  23. pop — music
  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