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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: spell · lash · mark · saw · bowl · last · capital · hide

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. spell — letters
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. last — to go on
  7. last — final
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — magic
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. mark — a grade
  15. last — finally
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. saw — the tool
  19. capital — money
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. capital — a city
  24. mark — to pay attention

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