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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 120 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: lash · tube · deal · ball · rash · racket · drill · mine

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. deal — to handle
  6. rash — hasty
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — army training
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rash — a series
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. drill — a practice
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — a container
  20. ball — a great time
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. ball — a dance

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