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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: net · hide · lash · deal · bowl · band · mine · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. deal — to handle
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mine — for digging
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. band — a music group
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. band — a ring
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — for catching
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. net — in sport

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