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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. root — the cause
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. can — to be able to
  8. root — of a plant
  9. present — there
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. net — in sport
  12. bore — to tire
  13. plane — a tool
  14. wax — to grow
  15. present — a gift
  16. can — a tin
  17. present — the time now
  18. net — after costs
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. root — of a word
  23. can — a tin
  24. net — for catching

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