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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: tear · saw · trunk · season · drill · pitch · bowl · lash

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — army training
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. drill — a practice
  6. pitch — completely
  7. saw — the tool
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. tear — from crying
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. season — in sport
  14. saw — the tool
  15. tear — to rip
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. season — of the year
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. tear — from crying
  24. lash — an eyelash

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