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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: bowl · squash · rule · patient · spring · stem · roll · drill

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. squash — the sport
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. drill — the tool
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. squash — to crush
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. spring — the season
  13. rule — government
  14. spring — a coil
  15. spring — of water
  16. roll — a list
  17. roll — a cake
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. drill — army training
  20. stem — to come from
  21. rule — a law
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — a dish

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