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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rash · hand · drill · net · ball · lean · can · club

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. drill — a practice
  4. net — after costs
  5. lean — to bend
  6. ball — a dance
  7. can — a tin
  8. net — for catching
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. drill — army training
  11. can — to be able to
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. club — for golf
  14. club — for dancing
  15. ball — a great time
  16. drill — the tool
  17. hand — help
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — a series
  20. hand — in cards
  21. can — a tin
  22. net — in sport
  23. lean — thin
  24. club — a group

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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