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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: drill · object · roll · lash · ruler · face · root · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  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. rock — a stone
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. roll — a list
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — a thing
  7. rock — music
  8. face — to point toward
  9. root — of a word
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. object — an aim
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. face — to confront
  14. roll — a cake
  15. face — part of the head
  16. drill — a practice
  17. drill — army training
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. root — the cause
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. root — of a plant
  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