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

Word bank: drill · lash · craft · tear · racket · stem

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — army training
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. tear — from crying
  8. drill — the tool
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. stem — to come from
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. tear — to rip
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. tear — from crying
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — boats
  18. lash — to lash out

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