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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · ruler · firm · scale · rush · stock · kick · vault

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. drill — army training
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. firm — steady
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. firm — a company
  11. vault — a safe
  12. stock — shares
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. drill — a practice
  17. scale — size or range
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. kick — in football
  21. firm — decided
  22. rush — hurry
  23. drill — the tool
  24. stock — goods

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