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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: band · pass · wave · drill · fan · lash · can · fork

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. can — a tin
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. drill — army training
  5. fork — in a road
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. can — a tin
  9. band — a ring
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. drill — the tool
  17. drill — a practice
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. can — to be able to
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. band — a music group
  24. wave — of the sea

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