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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: calf · lash · rock · ruler · drill · root · hand · straw

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. drill — the tool
  3. rock — a stone
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. drill — army training
  8. rock — music
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. root — the cause
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. root — of a plant
  13. hand — help
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. hand — in cards
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. root — of a word
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. drill — a practice

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