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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 116 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: can · rush · bat · drill · wave · bark · trunk · sharp

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. drill — the tool
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. sharp — clever
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. drill — a practice
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bat — the animal
  13. rush — hurry
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. drill — army training
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bark — to shout
  24. rush — a thrill

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