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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: bark · board · rule · tear · fine · rush · lash · drill

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. drill — army training
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. board — a committee
  5. rule — government
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. drill — the tool
  10. rule — a law
  11. bark — to shout
  12. tear — from crying
  13. drill — a practice
  14. fine — all right
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. board — to get on
  18. tear — from crying
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. fine — high quality
  23. rush — hurry
  24. tear — to rip

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