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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. bound — certain
  4. tube — a container
  5. roll — a list
  6. squash — the sport
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. squash — to crush
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. drill — the tool
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — a tool
  14. tube — the underground
  15. root — of a word
  16. roll — a cake
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. root — of a plant
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. bound — obliged
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bound — tied together
  23. drill — a practice
  24. root — the cause

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