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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. root — the cause
  8. bound — certain
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bound — tied together
  11. press — newspapers
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bore — to drill
  15. root — of a word
  16. wake — a trail
  17. press — a publisher
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. root — of a plant
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bound — obliged
  22. squash — to crush
  23. press — to push
  24. bore — gave birth

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