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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: lash · drill · mouse · dip · present · sharp · stock · pitch

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. present — the time now
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — to sink
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — goods
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — army training
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. present — a gift
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. drill — the tool
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. sharp — clever
  23. pitch — completely
  24. present — there

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