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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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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 · wax · coach · safe · rush · roll · arm · bowl

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. drill — army training
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. drill — a practice
  5. rush — hurry
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. roll — a list
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. drill — the tool
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. roll — a cake
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. wax — to grow
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. arm — part of the body

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