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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: object · bowl · band · pitcher · pound · plane · mine · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. object — an aim
  4. band — a music group
  5. mine — for digging
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. object — a thing
  8. plane — a tool
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. band — a ring
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. object — to protest
  24. pound — for dogs

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