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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: racket · drill · saw · leaves · scale · lash · key · wound

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. drill — a practice
  3. key — for a lock
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. key — the most important part
  6. saw — the tool
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. key — in music
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — size or range
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. wound — an injury
  15. saw — the tool
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. drill — army training
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. drill — the tool
  24. racket — for tennis

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