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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: lean · drill · cabinet · cell · degree · stand · rush · root

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  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. cell — in biology
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. rush — hurry
  4. drill — a practice
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cell — a phone
  10. lean — to bend
  11. stand — to bear
  12. degree — from a university
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. root — the cause
  15. lean — thin
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. drill — army training
  20. degree — temperature
  21. degree — an amount
  22. root — of a word
  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