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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. cap — of ice
  4. wind — moving air
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. cap — a lid
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. wind — moving air
  10. perch — the fish
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — a practice
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — in control
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. cap — a hat
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. fork — in a road

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