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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: drill · bark · ruler · kick · suit · racket · ball · nail

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  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. bark — of a tree
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. suit — to fit
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. drill — the tool
  10. kick — in football
  11. ball — a dance
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. drill — army training
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bark — to shout
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. suit — clothes
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. kick — with a leg
  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