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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 120 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: wake · nail · perch · rash · lash · pop · drill · pass

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. drill — army training
  3. pop — soda
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. perch — the fish
  12. drill — a practice
  13. rash — hasty
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rash — a series
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. drill — the tool
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pass — a permit
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pop — music

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