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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: chip · spring · root · file · object · safe · club · drill

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. drill — the tool
  3. spring — a coil
  4. file — a tool
  5. file — a line of people
  6. drill — a practice
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. object — a thing
  9. root — of a word
  10. club — a group
  11. object — to protest
  12. root — of a plant
  13. object — an aim
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. spring — of water
  16. club — for dancing
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. spring — the season
  19. chip — for betting
  20. club — for golf
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. root — the cause
  23. file — a document
  24. chip — to eat

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