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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: root · cabinet · drill · track · cue · fork · march · rest

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. drill — army training
  3. root — the cause
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. march — the month
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. march — the month
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. fork — in a road
  16. root — of a word
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. drill — the tool
  19. march — music
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. root — of a plant
  22. drill — a practice
  23. rest — what's left
  24. track — a path

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