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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. rock — a stone
  5. root — the cause
  6. bear — the animal
  7. object — an aim
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. object — to protest
  10. cue — a hint
  11. rock — music
  12. bear — the animal
  13. object — a thing
  14. cue — a signal
  15. root — of a word
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bore — to tire
  18. root — of a plant

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