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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.

Make a worksheet

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: straw · key · racket · drill · lash · season · lie · pop

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — the tool
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. lie — to recline
  9. key — in music
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. key — the most important part
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. season — of the year
  14. drill — army training
  15. key — for a lock
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. pop — to visit
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. pop — soda
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. season — in sport
  23. pop — music
  24. lie — an untruth

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