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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 116 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: stand · march · drill · root · mug · object · bowl · cap

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. drill — a practice
  3. object — a thing
  4. drill — army training
  5. object — to protest
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. cap — a hat
  8. mug — a cup
  9. cap — of ice
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. cap — a lid
  12. march — the month
  13. root — of a plant
  14. stand — to bear
  15. mug — a face
  16. march — music
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. root — the cause
  19. march — the month
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. drill — the tool
  23. root — of a word
  24. object — an aim

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