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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: hide · mug · drill · track · root · chip · plane · club

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. root — of a word
  3. track — a path
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. club — a group
  6. chip — to eat
  7. drill — the tool
  8. club — for golf
  9. drill — a practice
  10. mug — a cup
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. drill — army training
  13. track — a song
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. mug — a face
  17. root — the cause
  18. club — for dancing
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. track — to keep track
  23. root — of a plant
  24. plane — a 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