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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: spring · pitcher · lash · chair · rock · mate · spell · safe

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. spell — letters
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. rock — a stone
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. mate — a friend
  10. chair — a leader
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. spell — magic
  14. rock — music
  15. spring — a coil
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. spring — of water
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. mate — a partner
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. spring — the season
  22. mate — to breed
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. spell — a short time

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