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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: spell · pitcher · bank · lash · mate · mark · drill · bore

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. drill — the tool
  6. spell — magic
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bank — for money
  9. mark — a trace
  10. spell — letters
  11. bank — for money
  12. bore — to tire
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. mate — a friend
  15. drill — army training
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bore — to drill
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bank — of a river
  20. mate — to breed
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. mark — a grade
  24. drill — a practice

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