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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.

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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: coach · pit · bank · bowl · date · mark · scale · lash

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bank — for money
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bank — of a river
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pit — in a race
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. date — the fruit
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bank — for money
  22. scale — in music
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bowl — to roll

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