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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: game · lash · stem · plane · bank · shower · drill · rock

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. drill — a practice
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. game — wild animals
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bank — for money
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. shower — to wash
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. bank — for money
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bank — of a river
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. stem — to come from
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. drill — the tool
  21. rock — music
  22. game — a match
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. rock — a stone

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