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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: ball · root · pound · rash · fan · drill · stock · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. root — of a word
  3. drill — army training
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ball — a dance
  6. root — the cause
  7. stock — shares
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. drill — a practice
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. drill — the tool
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — goods
  18. rash — hasty
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. root — of a plant
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pound — a weight
  24. rash — a series

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