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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: bank · bore · wound · leaves · cell · snap · bear · lash

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bore — to tire
  7. cell — a phone
  8. bore — to drill
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bank — for money
  11. bear — the animal
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. cell — in biology
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bear — the animal
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. wound — an injury
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. snap — to click
  24. leaves — lets stay

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