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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 116 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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. root — of a word
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stock — goods
  10. plane — a tool
  11. drill — army training
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. root — of a plant
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. stock — shares
  23. root — the cause
  24. pound — a weight

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