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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: hand · rush · bark · stem · fine · drill · lean · present

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. drill — a practice
  4. hand — help
  5. drill — the tool
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — to come from
  12. present — there
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bark — to shout
  17. present — a gift
  18. fine — high quality
  19. present — the time now
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. fine — all right
  22. drill — army training
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. rush — a thrill

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