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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 · roll · band · mouse · spell · arm · dip · bear

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. dip — to sink
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. spell — a short time
  9. band — a music group
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. spell — magic
  17. band — a ring
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. spell — letters
  23. roll — a list
  24. mouse — the animal

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