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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
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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: lash · hand · object · mouse · pitch · trunk · roll · suit

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. hand — help
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. suit — in cards
  5. object — an aim
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. object — to protest
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. hand — in cards
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. pitch — completely
  18. roll — a cake
  19. suit — to fit
  20. roll — a list
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. object — a thing
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. suit — clothes

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