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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 · can · bat · shower · deal · racket · rush · ruler

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. can — a tin
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. can — to be able to
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bat — the animal
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. can — a tin
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. shower — rain
  17. drill — the tool
  18. drill — army training
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. shower — to wash
  21. rush — hurry
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. ruler — for measuring

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