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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: bass · lash · arm · mine · press · bowl · pitcher · land

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. land — ground
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. press — to push
  10. mine — for digging
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. bass — the fish
  13. press — a publisher
  14. land — a country
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bass — low music
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. land — to come down
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bowl — to roll

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