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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
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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: squash · land · bear · swing · stand · bank · lash · firm

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — ground
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. firm — decided
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. squash — to crush
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — steady
  11. bank — for money
  12. bear — the animal
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bear — the animal
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. land — a country
  17. bank — for money
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — in golf
  20. swing — music
  21. bank — of a river
  22. squash — the sport
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — for spectators

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