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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: toast · ground · drill · club · bore · lash

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. ground — the earth
  5. club — for dancing
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. ground — crushed
  8. drill — the tool
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. toast — bread
  11. drill — army training
  12. bore — to tire
  13. club — for golf
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bore — to drill
  16. drill — a practice
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. ground — a position

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