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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.

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 · stick · rash · root · stand · cabinet · charge · rush

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. charge — a price
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. root — of a plant
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. charge — in control
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. charge — electricity
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rash — hasty
  16. drill — a practice
  17. stand — to bear
  18. drill — army training
  19. rash — a series
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. root — the cause
  22. root — of a word
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rush — to hurry

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