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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: land · lash · pitcher · plane · roll · mouse · coach · last

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. last — to go on
  4. land — ground
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. roll — a list
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. last — finally
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. roll — a cake
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. plane — a tool
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. last — final
  18. land — a country
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. land — to come down
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. coach — a trainer

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