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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: drill · ruler · root · racket · pass · scale · land · tube

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. tube — a container
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. land — a country
  5. scale — size or range
  6. land — to come down
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. scale — in music
  10. land — ground
  11. root — of a plant
  12. drill — a practice
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. root — of a word
  16. drill — the tool
  17. root — the cause
  18. pass — a permit
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. tube — the underground
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. drill — army training
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. tube — in a tire

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