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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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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: lash · object · court · craft · pitch · cell · pound · row

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  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. pound — a weight
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. object — an aim
  5. court — of law
  6. row — a line
  7. cell — in biology
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. craft — boats
  10. court — for sport
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. court — of a king
  13. object — a thing
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. pitch — completely
  17. object — to protest
  18. craft — a skill
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. row — to paddle
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. cell — a phone
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  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