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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — the tool
  3. cap — a lid
  4. file — a line of people
  5. root — of a plant
  6. file — a document
  7. root — of a word
  8. lie — to recline
  9. file — a tool
  10. cap — of ice
  11. mug — to rob
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. root — the cause
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. cap — a hat
  16. branch — a division
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mug — a face
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. mug — a cup
  24. drill — army training

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