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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: track · saw · wind · bowl · mug · stick · mark · lash

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. track — a path
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a cup
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. track — to keep track
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. wind — moving air
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. wind — moving air
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. mark — a grade
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. saw — the tool
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. track — a song
  24. bowl — a football final

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