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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 120 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: lash · bank · spring · bore · club · can · bat · fine

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. club — for golf
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. spring — of water
  6. spring — the season
  7. bat — the animal
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to drill
  14. club — for dancing
  15. fine — all right
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. club — a group
  20. can — to be able to
  21. spring — a coil
  22. fine — high quality
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bank — for money

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