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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 120 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: object · pitch · rash · bank · bat · board · lash · bowl

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. object — a thing
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bank — of a river
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bank — for money
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. board — a committee
  17. rash — hasty
  18. board — to get on
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. bank — for money
  22. pitch — completely
  23. object — an aim
  24. object — to protest

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