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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: ruler · toast · lash · hand · drill · mate · rest · club

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  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. drill — a practice
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. drill — the tool
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. club — for dancing
  9. mate — a friend
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. hand — help
  13. rest — what's left
  14. hand — in cards
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. club — for golf
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — to breed
  22. toast — bread
  23. club — a group
  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