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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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468
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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 to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. drill — the tool
  3. kick — in football
  4. root — the cause
  5. race — a contest
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. root — of a word
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. race — the arms race
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. drill — a practice
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. charge — a price
  15. root — of a plant
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. prune — to trim
  18. drill — army training
  19. race — humankind
  20. prune — to trim
  21. row — a line
  22. charge — in control
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. charge — electricity

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