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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: fan · hide · wound · lash · safe · lean · drill · plane

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. wound — an injury
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. drill — the tool
  7. drill — a practice
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. lean — thin
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — a tool
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wound — an injury
  24. lash — an eyelash

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