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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: kick · rush · rest · wound · drill · mug · plane · lie

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wound — an injury
  4. mug — a cup
  5. drill — the tool
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. lie — to recline
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. mug — a face
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. rest — what's left
  13. kick — in football
  14. rush — hurry
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. plane — a tool
  17. mug — to rob
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. rest — what's left
  21. drill — army training
  22. wound — an injury
  23. rest — a break
  24. plane — in geometry

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