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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: mine · snap · mug · lean · bowl · deal · drill · arm

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. mug — to rob
  3. drill — the tool
  4. snap — to click
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mine — for digging
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. deal — to handle
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. lean — to bend
  16. mug — a face
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. lean — thin
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. drill — army training
  24. bowl — a football final

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