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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: bank · hide · chair · season · track · lash · rash · arm

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bank — of a river
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. track — a path
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. track — to keep track
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. season — in sport
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. rash — a series
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. bank — for money
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. season — of the year
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. chair — a leader
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. track — a song
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bank — for money
  24. rash — hasty

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