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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · cue · spell · root · fall · dip · bowl · leaves

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. dip — to sink
  3. spell — magic
  4. fall — the season
  5. fall — to drop
  6. root — of a word
  7. drill — army training
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. cue — for pool
  11. spell — letters
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. cue — a hint
  14. root — of a plant
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. root — the cause
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. spell — a short time
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. fall — to drop
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. drill — a practice
  24. leaves — of a tree

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