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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: pass · can · drill · spell · root · season · rule · land

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. drill — army training
  4. land — to come down
  5. can — a tin
  6. rule — a law
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. can — a tin
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. pass — a permit
  14. spell — letters
  15. drill — a practice
  16. season — of the year
  17. spell — a short time
  18. rule — government
  19. spell — magic
  20. season — in sport
  21. land — ground
  22. land — a country
  23. root — the cause
  24. rule — to rule out

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