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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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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: craft · bulb · bank · lash · rule · foot · lie · mug

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bank — for money
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. rule — a law
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rule — government
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bulb — for light
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — boats
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mug — a cup
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. mug — a face
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bank — for money
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. mug — to rob

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