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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: roll · stick · mouse · clip · stem · rush · coach · drill

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. roll — a list
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. drill — the tool
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. roll — a cake
  10. clip — for paper
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. clip — a video
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rush — hurry
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stem — to come from
  20. clip — to cut
  21. drill — a practice
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. drill — army training
  24. mouse — for a computer

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