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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 124 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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. firm — decided
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. drill — army training
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — a company
  9. band — a music group
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. drill — the tool
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. date — the fruit
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. band — a ring
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. drill — a practice
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. leaves — lets stay

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