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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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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 · snap · cabinet · fall · bowl · key · bore · root

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. key — for a lock
  3. fall — the season
  4. key — in music
  5. drill — army training
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bore — to drill
  8. snap — to click
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. root — of a plant
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bore — to tire
  21. root — of a word
  22. fall — to drop
  23. drill — a practice
  24. drill — the tool

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