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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.

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: lash · chip · trunk · date · last · drill · suit · mine

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. drill — the tool
  3. chip — for betting
  4. drill — a practice
  5. last — to go on
  6. suit — clothes
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. last — final
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. last — finally
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. mine — for digging
  19. date — the fruit
  20. drill — army training
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. chip — to eat

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