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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.

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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. drill — a practice
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. drill — army training
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. drill — the tool
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. tube — a container
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. pit — in a race
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. fall — to drop
  20. perch — the fish
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fall — to drop
  23. tube — the underground
  24. fall — the season

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