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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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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: wake · object · mark · wind · stick · craft · lash · bank

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wake — a trail
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. craft — boats
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mark — a trace
  10. object — an aim
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bank — of a river
  13. object — to protest
  14. bank — for money
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. craft — a skill
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bank — for money
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. mark — a grade
  24. object — a thing

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