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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bore — to drill
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. fall — the season
  10. fine — all right
  11. fall — to drop
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fine — high quality
  16. content — happy
  17. root — of a word
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bore — to tire
  22. suit — in cards
  23. content — the amount
  24. staff — employees

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