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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 120 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: fall · arm · wax · bore · press · pound · lash · bank

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. press — to push
  9. fall — to drop
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bank — for money
  16. wax — to grow
  17. fall — to drop
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bore — to tire
  20. press — a publisher
  21. fall — the season
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — to lash out

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