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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. file — a tool
  8. drill — the tool
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — electric
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. current — of water
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. file — a line of people
  24. file — a document

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