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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: deal · calf · sharp · bark · drill · present · bank · rush

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. present — there
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. present — the time now
  6. drill — the tool
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. drill — a practice
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. drill — army training
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bank — of a river
  18. present — a gift
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bark — to shout
  24. calf — a young animal

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