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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: cold · root · lash · bank · rash · can · season · wave

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. cold — an illness
  3. bank — for money
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. can — a tin
  7. root — of a word
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rash — hasty
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. season — in sport
  12. bank — for money
  13. root — of a plant
  14. rash — a series
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. can — a tin
  17. cold — not warm
  18. root — the cause
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. can — to be able to
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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