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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: bulb · pitcher · bark · row · band · nail · stand · lash

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. band — a music group
  11. row — a line
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. band — a ring
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. row — to paddle
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. row — a quarrel

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