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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
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: drill · bear · trunk · ball · pass · lash

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. pass — a permit
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. ball — a dance
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. drill — army training
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bear — the animal
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. drill — a practice
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pass — to succeed

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