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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 had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  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. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. drill — army training
  10. sharp — clever
  11. foot — a measure
  12. swing — music
  13. swing — in golf
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — a trail
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. drill — the tool
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. branch — a division
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. swing — to play on
  23. rush — hurry
  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