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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 120 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: tube · firm · key · row · drill · spell · bulb · root

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. row — a line
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. bulb — for light
  5. root — the cause
  6. bulb — for light
  7. tube — a container
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — of a plant
  10. spell — a short time
  11. tube — the underground
  12. drill — army training
  13. firm — steady
  14. drill — a practice
  15. spell — letters
  16. key — in music
  17. spell — magic
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. key — for a lock
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — a company
  23. key — the most important part
  24. row — to paddle

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