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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: row · lash · fall · mark · ruler · stock · rock · drill

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. fall — to drop
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. mark — a grade
  5. fall — to drop
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. drill — a practice
  10. stock — goods
  11. rock — a stone
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. row — to paddle
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. row — a line
  17. mark — a trace
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. drill — the tool
  21. fall — the season
  22. rock — music
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. drill — army training

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