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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: suit · bowl · mark · row · plane · roll · lash · mug

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. row — to paddle
  5. plane — a tool
  6. mug — to rob
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. mug — a face
  9. suit — clothes
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mug — a cup
  12. roll — a cake
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. suit — in cards
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. roll — a list
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. mark — a grade
  21. suit — to fit
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. row — a line

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