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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: bore · drill · content · toast · root · rush · pound · stand

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bore — to tire
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — army training
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. content — the amount
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. toast — bread
  13. drill — the tool
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — the cause
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. root — of a word
  18. stand — to bear
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — happy
  24. rush — a thrill

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