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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 116 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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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 · dip · rule · bass · kick · coach · pound · bowl

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bass — low music
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. rule — government
  17. pound — a weight
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. kick — in football
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. dip — to sink
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. rule — a law

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