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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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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: firm · snap · lash · fine · capital · fork · arm · bank

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. capital — money
  5. bank — for money
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. bank — for money
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. fork — in a road
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to click
  18. firm — a company
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. fine — high quality
  21. firm — decided
  22. bank — of a river
  23. fine — all right
  24. firm — steady

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