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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: lash · nail · racket · toast · court · bark · drill · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. court — of a king
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. drill — a practice
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bark — to shout
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. court — of law
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. drill — the tool
  20. toast — bread
  21. court — for sport
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. drill — army training

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