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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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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: hide · pitch · drill · ruler · bark · snap

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. drill — army training
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pitch — completely
  7. snap — to click
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bark — to shout
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. drill — the tool
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bark — a dog's sound

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