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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.

Make a worksheet

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: lash · spell · straw · root · mark · row · coach · bass

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. root — the cause
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. spell — magic
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — a grade
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. row — a line
  13. bass — low music
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. root — of a word
  17. spell — letters
  18. row — to paddle
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bass — the fish
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. root — of a plant

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