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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. staff — a stick
  3. staff — employees
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. drill — the tool
  8. track — a path
  9. band — a music group
  10. track — a song
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mug — a cup
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. saw — the tool
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. band — a ring
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. track — to keep track
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. staff — employees
  21. drill — army training
  22. drill — a practice
  23. mug — a face
  24. bowl — a dish

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