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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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468
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: bark · scale · racket · wound · calf · drill · ruler · squash

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. scale — size or range
  3. drill — army training
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. drill — the tool
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. drill — a practice
  16. squash — the sport
  17. bark — to shout
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. squash — to crush
  22. scale — in music
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. wound — an injury

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