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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
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: can · drill · ball · racket · leaves · face · saw · rash

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. rash — hasty
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. face — part of the head
  6. can — to be able to
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. can — a tin
  11. rash — a series
  12. drill — army training
  13. face — to point toward
  14. saw — the tool
  15. drill — a practice
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. can — a tin
  21. face — to confront
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. drill — the tool
  24. racket — a loud noise

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