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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: row · fork · mark · lash · pitcher · bass · toast · spring

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — low music
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. row — a line
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bass — the fish
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. spring — a coil
  15. spring — the season
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. mark — a trace
  19. toast — bread
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. mark — a grade
  23. row — to paddle
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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