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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
Word bank
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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — army training
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. mug — a face
  5. root — of a plant
  6. key — the most important part
  7. cell — in biology
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. root — of a word
  10. mug — a cup
  11. drill — a practice
  12. root — the cause
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. mug — to rob
  16. land — a country
  17. key — in music
  18. craft — boats
  19. stem — to come from
  20. cell — a phone
  21. key — for a lock
  22. land — ground
  23. land — to come down
  24. craft — a skill

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