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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: craft · drill · track · rest · root · board · rush · nail

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. drill — army training
  4. track — a path
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. board — a committee
  7. rest — a break
  8. drill — the tool
  9. track — to keep track
  10. craft — a skill
  11. root — of a word
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. root — of a plant
  14. drill — a practice
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. craft — boats
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. board — to get on
  22. rush — hurry
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. root — the cause

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