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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: drill · board · rash · rush · track · sharp · deal · lie

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. drill — army training
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rash — a series
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — a practice
  12. track — to keep track
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rash — hasty
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. track — a path
  21. board — to get on
  22. rush — hurry
  23. track — a song
  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