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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.

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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: arm · pop · fork · lash · wake · bank · vault · pound

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. bank — of a river
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bank — for money
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. pop — soda
  13. pound — a weight
  14. wake — a trail
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bank — for money
  17. pop — music
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. vault — a safe
  21. pop — to visit
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. pound — to hit hard

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