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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 120 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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. ball — a great time
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. cap — a lid
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. cap — a hat
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. cap — of ice
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bound — tied together
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bore — to tire
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. ball — a dance
  22. root — of a plant
  23. root — the cause
  24. bound — certain

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