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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: dip · wound · stock · pitch · toast · drill · lash · mark

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. wound — an injury
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. drill — a practice
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. mark — a trace
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. stock — goods
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. toast — bread
  14. stock — shares
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. dip — to sink
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. mark — a grade
  20. pitch — completely
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. drill — army training

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