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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 120 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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ground — a position
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. ground — crushed
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. root — of a word
  13. fork — in a road
  14. drill — army training
  15. rush — hurry
  16. drill — a practice
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. ground — the earth
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. root — the cause
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — all right
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. root — of a plant

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