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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
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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: root · ground · capital · straw · suit · temple · drill · board

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. ground — the earth
  5. root — of a plant
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. suit — in cards
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. root — of a word
  10. ground — crushed
  11. drill — army training
  12. ground — a position
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. root — the cause
  15. board — to get on
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. capital — a city
  18. drill — a practice
  19. suit — clothes
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. board — a committee
  22. suit — to fit
  23. capital — money
  24. temple — a place of worship

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