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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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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: deal · saw · lash · jam · hide · mouse · clip · drill

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. clip — a video
  8. drill — a practice
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. drill — the tool
  14. clip — to cut
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. deal — to handle
  21. drill — army training
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — the tool

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