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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: drill · rest · mark · row · spring · bulb · roll · stand

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  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. rest — a break
  2. row — to paddle
  3. mark — a grade
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. drill — army training
  7. spring — a coil
  8. roll — a cake
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. spring — the season
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. roll — a list
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mark — a trace
  19. row — a line
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. spring — of water
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mark — to pay attention
  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