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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 120 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: last · firm · can · rush · tube · drill · straw · bark

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. can — a tin
  3. rush — hurry
  4. tube — a container
  5. can — a tin
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. last — final
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. drill — army training
  10. bark — to shout
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. can — to be able to
  13. drill — the tool
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. last — finally
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — steady
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. tube — the underground
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. firm — a company
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. last — to go on
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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