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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: bowl · saw · lash · fine · mine · ball · dip · arm

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  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. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. dip — to sink
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. fine — all right
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. mine — for digging
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. fine — high quality
  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