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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · bark · stick · racket · press · craft

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. craft — a skill
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. press — to push
  11. bark — to shout
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. press — a publisher
  14. craft — boats
  15. press — newspapers
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. drill — army training

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