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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. root — of a word
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. shower — rain
  5. band — a music group
  6. drill — army training
  7. root — the cause
  8. mug — a face
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — to rob
  13. drill — a practice
  14. band — a ring
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. shower — to wash
  18. scale — size or range
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — in a road
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. vault — a safe
  24. drill — the tool

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