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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: temple · pop · root · dip · arm · fall · rush · drill

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. fall — the season
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. root — of a word
  5. pop — music
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — the tool
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. root — of a plant
  11. rush — hurry
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — soda
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. drill — army training
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. root — the cause
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — to drop
  24. dip — to sink

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