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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.

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: drill · cue · spell · object · rest · sharp · stem · mate

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. object — a thing
  3. stem — to come from
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. mate — to breed
  6. rest — what's left
  7. object — to protest
  8. spell — a short time
  9. drill — the tool
  10. sharp — clever
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. cue — for pool
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. rest — what's left
  15. cue — a signal
  16. rest — a break
  17. mate — a friend
  18. object — an aim
  19. mate — a partner
  20. cue — a hint
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. spell — magic
  23. spell — letters
  24. drill — a practice

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