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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: mark · drill · racket · fine · straw · ruler · lash · bark

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. 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. ruler — a monarch
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. fine — all right
  4. mark — a grade
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. bark — to shout
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. fine — high quality
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a trace
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. drill — a practice
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. drill — the tool
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. 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