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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 had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — army training
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to bend
  5. roll — a list
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — government
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. stem — to come from
  11. drill — the tool
  12. snap — to click
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. roll — a cake
  23. toast — bread
  24. roll — on a roll

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