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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: drill · board · pit · lash · mark · roll · plane · race

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. pit — in a race
  3. drill — the tool
  4. roll — a cake
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. board — a committee
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. pit — a hole
  9. board — to get on
  10. race — humankind
  11. drill — army training
  12. mark — a trace
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. race — the arms race
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. mark — a grade
  17. plane — a tool
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. roll — a list
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. race — a contest

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