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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  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 — a practice
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. root — the cause
  4. drill — the tool
  5. root — of a word
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. track — to keep track
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. season — of the year
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. track — a song
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. drill — army training
  17. season — in sport
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stem — to come from
  20. track — a path
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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