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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: net · lash · wake · rock · stem · mine · ball · bank

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. mine — for digging
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bank — for money
  5. rock — a stone
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. rock — music
  8. net — after costs
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. bank — of a river
  11. stem — to come from
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. ball — a great time
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. wake — a trail
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bank — for money
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. ball — a dance
  22. net — in sport
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. net — for catching

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