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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. root — the cause
  5. bore — to drill
  6. object — an aim
  7. bore — to tire
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. squash — to crush
  11. object — a thing
  12. root — of a plant
  13. deal — to handle
  14. root — of a word
  15. squash — the sport
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. ball — a dance
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. cap — of ice
  21. object — to protest
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. cap — a hat

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