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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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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 · rule · lash · ground · capital · bear · deal · rock

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. deal — to handle
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. capital — money
  6. drill — a practice
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rule — government
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. ground — crushed
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. rock — music
  14. capital — a city
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. bear — the animal
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. ground — a position
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rule — a law

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