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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 116 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: drill · pit · lash · rush · track · bark · object · trunk

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. object — a thing
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — army training
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. object — an aim
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a song
  16. object — to protest
  17. pit — in a race
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bark — to shout
  20. pit — a hole
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. track — a path
  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