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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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. root — of a plant
  4. spring — of water
  5. pass — a permit
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rest — what's left
  8. drill — army training
  9. club — a group
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. club — for golf
  15. rest — a break
  16. prune — to trim
  17. root — of a word
  18. spring — the season
  19. spring — a coil
  20. rest — what's left
  21. club — for dancing
  22. lie — to recline
  23. root — the cause
  24. pass — to succeed

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