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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 120 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: lash · row · saw · wake · fall · bass · bowl · suit

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  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. fall — to drop
  2. fall — the season
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. row — to paddle
  5. suit — clothes
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. saw — the tool
  8. row — a line
  9. bass — the fish
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wake — a trail
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bass — low music
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fall — to drop
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wake — before a funeral
  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