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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: season · bear · tube · bank · shower · temple · ruler · lash

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. bear — the animal
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. season — of the year
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. shower — to wash
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. tube — a container
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. shower — rain
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. tube — the underground
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. season — in sport
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. ruler — a monarch

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