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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: coach · ruler · ground · drill · bark · wake · kick · suit

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. drill — army training
  7. suit — clothes
  8. drill — the tool
  9. ground — crushed
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. wake — a trail
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. kick — in football
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. drill — a practice
  20. bark — to shout
  21. suit — to fit
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — the earth
  24. suit — in cards

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