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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: tube · bass · can · board · spring · temple · stock · lash

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. spring — of water
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. tube — the underground
  11. spring — a coil
  12. bass — low music
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. board — a committee
  15. tube — a container
  16. spring — the season
  17. bass — the fish
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. stock — goods
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. stock — shares

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