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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: lash · drill · fork · spring · jam · patient · bank · kid

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. spring — a coil
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. spring — the season
  6. drill — the tool
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bank — of a river
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. spring — of water
  13. bank — for money
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. kid — to tease
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. kid — child
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. drill — army training
  22. bank — for money
  23. drill — a practice
  24. lash — to lash out

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