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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 120 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: tube · staff · lash · drill · spell · firm · bound · root

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — a short time
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bound — tied together
  7. root — the cause
  8. firm — a company
  9. staff — a stick
  10. tube — a container
  11. drill — a practice
  12. staff — employees
  13. drill — army training
  14. bound — certain
  15. staff — employees
  16. tube — the underground
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — steady
  19. root — of a plant
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bound — obliged
  22. spell — magic
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. root — of a word

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