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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bank — for money
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. last — to go on
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. drill — a practice
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bat — the animal
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. bank — for money
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bank — of a river
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. drill — the tool
  19. last — final
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. last — finally
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. drill — army training

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