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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.

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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: bank · squash · lash · bulb · mine · current · bark · coach

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. current — electric
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. squash — to crush
  12. mine — for digging
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bank — for money
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. current — of water
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. current — happening now
  22. bark — to shout
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. coach — a trainer

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