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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: rest · kick · root · drill · tear · pound · pass · cell

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. rest — what's left
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. cell — in biology
  5. root — the cause
  6. cell — a phone
  7. pound — a weight
  8. rest — what's left
  9. drill — army training
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. drill — a practice
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — a permit
  15. tear — to rip
  16. kick — in football
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — of a word
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. drill — the tool
  22. rest — a break
  23. tear — from crying
  24. pound — to hit hard

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