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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
468
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: straw · drill · stand · ball · lash · rock · root · sharp

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. stand — to bear
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. ball — a dance
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. root — of a plant
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. drill — a practice
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. ball — a great time
  16. root — of a word
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. rock — music
  21. sharp — clever
  22. drill — army training
  23. rock — a stone
  24. drill — the tool

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