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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. ball — a great time
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. drill — the tool
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. drill — army training
  7. pop — to visit
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. wind — moving air
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. wind — moving air
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. ball — a dance
  18. pop — music
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. drill — a practice
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — of a tree

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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