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

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. suit — clothes
  3. ground — crushed
  4. ground — a position
  5. plane — a tool
  6. suit — to fit
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. press — to push
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. ground — the earth
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. hand — in cards
  15. drill — the tool
  16. press — newspapers
  17. hand — help
  18. press — a publisher
  19. drill — army training
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. rash — hasty
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rash — a series
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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