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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: squash · coach · arm · leaves · mark · lash · row · spell

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. spell — magic
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. row — to paddle
  6. mark — a trace
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. squash — to crush
  11. row — a line
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. spell — a short time
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. squash — the sport
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. lash — to lash out

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