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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: lash · sharp · ball · track · fine · pitch · ruler · roll

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. ball — a great time
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. roll — a list
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ball — a dance
  10. sharp — clever
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. track — a song
  15. roll — a cake
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. fine — high quality
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. track — to keep track
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. fine — all right
  24. pitch — completely

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