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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: jam · present · root · drill · branch · staff · spell · firm

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. root — of a plant
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. spell — a short time
  5. firm — decided
  6. present — a gift
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. root — of a word
  10. firm — steady
  11. branch — a division
  12. spell — magic
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. firm — a company
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — there
  20. drill — the tool
  21. staff — employees
  22. spell — letters
  23. root — the cause
  24. drill — a practice

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