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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: sharp · scale · mate · lash · staff · bowl · band · drill

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. drill — army training
  3. mate — a friend
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. band — a ring
  6. scale — size or range
  7. staff — employees
  8. mate — a partner
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. staff — employees
  13. drill — the tool
  14. scale — in music
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. sharp — clever
  19. drill — a practice
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. mate — to breed
  24. band — a music group

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