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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: deal · bass · pit · lash · calf · tube · season · bank

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bank — for money
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. deal — to handle
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — of the year
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bank — for money
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bass — the fish
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. bass — low music
  20. pit — a hole
  21. tube — a container
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bank — of a river
  24. calf — a young animal

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