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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. root — of a word
  3. drill — the tool
  4. root — of a plant
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — a face
  9. squash — the sport
  10. mug — to rob
  11. squash — to crush
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. drill — a practice
  14. root — the cause
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. march — the month
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. march — music
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. march — the month
  22. chair — a leader
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stem — 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