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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bore — to drill
  4. root — of a word
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. root — the cause
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. current — of water
  10. deal — to handle
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. face — to confront
  13. toast — bread
  14. current — happening now
  15. root — of a plant
  16. current — electric
  17. face — to point toward
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bore — to tire
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. capital — a city
  23. capital — money
  24. deal — a big deal

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