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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. drill — the tool
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — the cause
  6. wake — a trail
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. present — the time now
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. root — of a plant
  14. present — a gift
  15. firm — steady
  16. drill — a practice
  17. firm — decided
  18. kick — in football
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. firm — a company
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. present — there

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