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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. row — a line
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. row — to paddle
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. roll — a list
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — in music
  16. roll — a cake
  17. drill — the tool
  18. drill — army training
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. drill — a practice

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