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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 116 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: lash · drill · leaves · last · stand · tube · lie · bat

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bat — the animal
  4. last — to go on
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. last — finally
  7. lie — to recline
  8. drill — a practice
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. drill — army training
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. stand — to bear
  20. tube — the underground
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. last — final
  24. lash — to lash out

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