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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rash · file · wound · pop · ball · bank · vault · lash

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bank — for money
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. file — a document
  6. rash — hasty
  7. ball — a dance
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bank — of a river
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. pop — soda
  15. file — a line of people
  16. vault — a safe
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wound — an injury
  20. pop — music
  21. rash — a series
  22. bank — for money
  23. pop — to visit
  24. file — a tool

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