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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: perch · bank · lash · ball · ground · nail · row · arm

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  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. ground — the earth
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. ground — a position
  4. perch — the fish
  5. row — a line
  6. ground — crushed
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bank — for money
  10. ball — a great time
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bank — for money
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bank — of a river
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a dance
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. row — to paddle
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  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