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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bore — to tire
  3. root — of a plant
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. root — of a word
  14. bore — to drill
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. capital — money
  20. bat — the animal
  21. capital — a city
  22. root — the cause
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. bore — gave birth

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