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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 · saw · rule · present · calf · stock · bank · lash

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bank — of a river
  4. rule — a law
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. present — a gift
  8. stock — shares
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. saw — the tool
  12. present — there
  13. drill — army training
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. bank — for money
  17. drill — a practice
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. rule — government
  21. saw — the tool
  22. stock — goods
  23. present — the time now
  24. bank — for money

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