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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. file — a tool
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. file — a line of people
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. drill — the tool
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. rest — a break
  11. kid — to tease
  12. drill — a practice
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. kid — child
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. rest — what's left
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. rest — what's left
  23. stand — to bear
  24. file — a document

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