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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: cabinet · root · drill · chair · wound · shower · board · saw

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. drill — army training
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. chair — a leader
  6. board — a committee
  7. saw — the tool
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. drill — a practice
  10. root — the cause
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. shower — to wash
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — of a word
  18. wound — an injury
  19. saw — the tool
  20. shower — rain
  21. board — to get on
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. drill — the tool
  24. chair — a professorship

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