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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
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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: rush · wake · pass · key · drill · root · wave · calf

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. drill — army training
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rush — hurry
  6. wake — a trail
  7. root — the cause
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. key — in music
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. key — for a lock
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. drill — the tool
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. pass — a permit
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. key — the most important part
  22. drill — a practice
  23. root — of a word
  24. root — of a plant

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