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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. can — a tin
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. band — a ring
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. can — a tin
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. ground — the earth
  13. can — to be able to
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — to come from
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. ground — a position
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. band — a music group
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ground — crushed

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