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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bass — low music
  3. root — of a word
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. root — the cause
  11. rush — hurry
  12. root — of a plant
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bass — the fish
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bore — to tire
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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