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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: saw · rock · capital · lash · bowl · mark · object · coach

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. saw — the tool
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. capital — a city
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. object — a thing
  13. capital — money
  14. object — an aim
  15. mark — a grade
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. object — to protest
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. rock — a stone
  23. mark — a trace
  24. rock — music

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