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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: rock · stock · drill · cabinet · root · row · track · calf

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. rock — music
  4. root — the cause
  5. stock — goods
  6. root — of a word
  7. row — a line
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. track — to keep track
  10. stock — shares
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. drill — the tool
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. track — a song
  19. root — of a plant
  20. drill — a practice
  21. rock — a stone
  22. track — a path
  23. drill — army training
  24. calf — a young animal

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