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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: drill · cap · mug · stand · leaves · arm · lash · prune

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. mug — to rob
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. prune — to trim
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. cap — a hat
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. cap — a lid
  14. stand — to bear
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. mug — a face
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. drill — army training
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. drill — the tool
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. drill — a practice
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mug — a cup

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