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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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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: last · drill · rule · pit · pass · face · root · safe

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. drill — a practice
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. root — the cause
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — a law
  10. pass — a permit
  11. face — part of the head
  12. rule — government
  13. face — to point toward
  14. pit — a hole
  15. drill — army training
  16. last — final
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. root — of a word
  20. last — finally
  21. root — of a plant
  22. face — to confront
  23. last — to go on
  24. pit — in a race

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