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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: net · kid · bass · rule · firm · bowl · lie · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. firm — decided
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. net — for catching
  6. bass — the fish
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. kid — child
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. net — in sport
  12. firm — a company
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. rule — a law
  15. net — after costs
  16. rule — government
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. kid — to tease
  21. firm — steady
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. lie — to recline

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