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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: rule · row · file · rash · bound · dip · drill · bark

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. 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. row — to paddle
  2. file — a line of people
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. drill — army training
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — obliged
  8. file — a tool
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bark — to shout
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rule — a law
  13. file — a document
  14. row — a line
  15. rule — government
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. drill — the tool
  18. rash — hasty
  19. drill — a practice
  20. rash — a series
  21. dip — to sink
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. 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