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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. staff — employees
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mug — to rob
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. mug — a cup
  9. staff — a stick
  10. rule — a law
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. snap — to click
  14. rule — government
  15. drill — army training
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. mug — a face
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. drill — a practice
  23. staff — employees
  24. mine — belonging to me

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