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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
468
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: drill · key · pound · net · face · spell · lash · racket

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. spell — magic
  3. key — the most important part
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. face — to point toward
  7. net — after costs
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. net — in sport
  10. drill — army training
  11. spell — a short time
  12. face — to confront
  13. net — for catching
  14. spell — letters
  15. pound — a weight
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. key — for a lock
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. drill — a practice
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. face — part of the head
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. drill — the tool

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