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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.

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: drill · bowl · lean · key · fine · snap · branch · mug

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. drill — a practice
  5. mug — a cup
  6. key — for a lock
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. drill — army training
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. lean — to bend
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. key — in music
  15. fine — high quality
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — a division
  18. mug — a face
  19. drill — the tool
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. mug — to rob
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. snap — to click

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