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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: sharp · lash · stand · squash · calf · drill · ruler · cold

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. drill — the tool
  5. stand — to bear
  6. cold — not warm
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. drill — a practice
  11. cold — an illness
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. squash — to crush
  15. drill — army training
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — the sport
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — clever

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