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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 · pitcher · lash · bear · rule · plane · can · wake

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. can — to be able to
  6. drill — a practice
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. drill — the tool
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. wake — a trail
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. can — a tin
  16. plane — a tool
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. can — a tin
  19. rule — government
  20. drill — army training
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. rule — a law
  24. pitcher — a jug

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