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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: ruler · date · fan · lash · drill · rock · saw · band

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. drill — the tool
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. band — a music group
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. saw — the tool
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. date — the fruit
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. saw — the tool
  13. band — a ring
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. drill — a practice
  18. rock — a stone
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. rock — music
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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