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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: stem · drill · pass · track · root · bowl · rock · nail

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — a permit
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. drill — a practice
  6. track — a path
  7. root — of a word
  8. track — to keep track
  9. stem — to come from
  10. root — of a plant
  11. rock — music
  12. root — the cause
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rock — a stone
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. drill — army training
  20. drill — the tool
  21. track — a song
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. nail — on a finger

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