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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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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 · race · fine · bear · drill · lash · plane · craft

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. race — a contest
  4. race — the arms race
  5. plane — a tool
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — hasty
  10. race — humankind
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. fine — high quality
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — army training
  21. craft — a skill
  22. fine — all right
  23. bear — the animal
  24. plane — an aircraft

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