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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: leaves · pitcher · bank · scale · bound · mug · lash · mine

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  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. mine — belonging to me
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bank — for money
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bound — certain
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mine — for digging
  10. scale — size or range
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. scale — in music
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bank — for money
  18. bound — obliged
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. mug — a face
  23. leaves — to go away
  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