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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 116 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. fall — to drop
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — music
  8. season — of the year
  9. fall — to drop
  10. season — in sport
  11. drill — a practice
  12. bear — the animal
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. band — a music group
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. band — a ring
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bear — the animal
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. pitcher — a jug

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