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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. vault — a safe
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bore — to drill
  11. tube — the underground
  12. pound — a weight
  13. root — the cause
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — employees
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. wake — a trail
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bore — to tire
  22. tube — a container
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. tube — in a tire

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