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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: bank · key · object · lash · band · stock · lean · fan

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. band — a music group
  3. key — for a lock
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bank — for money
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. object — to protest
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. band — a ring
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. object — an aim
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. bank — for money
  17. stock — goods
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bank — of a river
  21. stock — shares
  22. lean — thin
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. key — in music

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