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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.

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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — army training
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. drill — a practice
  9. band — a ring
  10. tube — a container
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. rash — hasty
  18. tube — the underground
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. band — a music group
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rash — a series
  24. trunk — of a tree

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