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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: cue · ball · root · drill · squash · ruler · last · fall

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. drill — a practice
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — a hint
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. last — to go on
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. squash — to crush
  12. root — of a word
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. drill — the tool
  15. drill — army training
  16. fall — to drop
  17. ball — a dance
  18. fall — to drop
  19. last — finally
  20. squash — the sport
  21. root — the cause
  22. fall — the season
  23. last — final
  24. ruler — for measuring

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