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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: row · foot · coach · lash · kid · fine · ruler · drill

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. drill — a practice
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. kid — child
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — all right
  12. drill — army training
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. row — a line
  16. row — to paddle
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. foot — a measure
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. kid — to tease
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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