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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: season · mug · game · pound · stick · bank · spell · lash

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. game — a match
  3. mug — a cup
  4. season — in sport
  5. mug — a face
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. spell — a short time
  11. pound — a weight
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. season — of the year
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. game — wild animals
  19. bank — of a river
  20. spell — magic
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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