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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: arm · fine · object · pitcher · mark · lash · ball · pass

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. ball — a great time
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. object — to protest
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. object — a thing
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. ball — a dance
  15. fine — all right
  16. mark — a trace
  17. fine — high quality
  18. object — an aim
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. mark — a grade
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. pass — a permit
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. fine — a penalty

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