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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: drill · club · root · suit · ball · plane · temple · bear

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bear — the animal
  6. suit — to fit
  7. ball — a great time
  8. root — of a plant
  9. suit — clothes
  10. club — for golf
  11. drill — army training
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. club — a group
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. root — the cause
  17. drill — the tool
  18. drill — a practice
  19. club — for dancing
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. root — of a word
  24. ball — a dance

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