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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.

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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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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 · mouse · tube · drill · band · pitch · dip · stock

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. band — a ring
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. tube — a container
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. pitch — completely
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. band — a music group
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stock — goods
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. tube — the underground
  24. dip — to sink

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