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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.

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: band · mark · safe · pitcher · drill · lash · row · court

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. row — to paddle
  3. court — for sport
  4. band — a music group
  5. drill — the tool
  6. court — of a king
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. drill — a practice
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. band — a ring
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. court — of law
  14. row — a line
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. mark — a grade
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. drill — army training

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