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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. roll — a list
  3. drill — a practice
  4. object — an aim
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. mug — a face
  7. roll — a cake
  8. object — a thing
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. object — to protest
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. march — music
  15. root — of a plant
  16. march — the month
  17. mug — to rob
  18. drill — army training
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. march — the month
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. root — of a word
  23. bark — to shout
  24. drill — the tool

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