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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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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: lash · nail · mug · drill · pass · charge · row · tube

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mug — a cup
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. row — a line
  8. drill — army training
  9. mug — a face
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. row — to paddle
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. mug — to rob
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — in control
  17. tube — the underground
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. charge — a price
  23. tube — a container
  24. nail — for a hammer

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