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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
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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: dip · fine · lash · pass · last · drill · ball · foot

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — a measure
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. fine — high quality
  6. last — final
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. dip — to sink
  11. ball — a dance
  12. last — finally
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. last — to go on
  16. pass — a permit
  17. drill — army training
  18. fine — all right
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. drill — the tool
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. ball — a great time

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