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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.

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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: hand · lash · rush · ground · track · bank · bowl · fork

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bank — for money
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. fork — in a road
  6. hand — in cards
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bank — for money
  9. rush — hurry
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. ground — a position
  12. track — a song
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. ground — crushed
  15. track — a path
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bank — of a river
  19. ground — the earth
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. hand — help
  24. bowl — a dish

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