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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 put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. swing — to play on
  4. swing — in golf
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. tube — the underground
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. root — of a word
  9. rock — a stone
  10. tube — a container
  11. bore — to drill
  12. chair — a leader
  13. swing — music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a plant
  17. rock — music
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bore — to tire
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. nail — for a hammer

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