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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 120 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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. drill — a practice
  4. rule — government
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. root — of a word
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. suit — to fit
  13. root — of a plant
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. cold — not warm
  16. bank — for money
  17. root — the cause
  18. bank — for money
  19. rule — a law
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. drill — the tool
  23. cold — an illness
  24. rule — to rule out

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