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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.

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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. march — music
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. root — the cause
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — to tire
  11. kick — in football
  12. wax — to grow
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. march — the month
  18. fork — in a road
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. march — the month
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. root — of a word
  24. kick — a thrill

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