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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: root · club · sharp · stick · drill · cabinet · saw · leaves

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. drill — army training
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. drill — a practice
  5. root — of a plant
  6. drill — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. sharp — clever
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. club — for golf
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. saw — the tool
  15. club — a group
  16. root — of a word
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. root — the cause
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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