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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. drill — army training
  3. present — the time now
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. present — there
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. drill — a practice
  9. object — an aim
  10. root — the cause
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. root — of a plant
  14. present — a gift
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. stem — to come from
  19. drill — the tool
  20. rush — hurry
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. root — of a word
  24. object — a thing

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