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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 116 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. snap — to click
  3. suit — clothes
  4. root — the cause
  5. bore — to drill
  6. suit — in cards
  7. root — of a plant
  8. root — of a word
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a dance
  13. march — music
  14. object — to protest
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bore — to tire
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. suit — to fit
  22. object — an aim
  23. march — the month
  24. march — the month

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