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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. root — of a word
  4. ground — crushed
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. race — a contest
  8. root — of a plant
  9. race — the arms race
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to tire
  15. ground — a position
  16. bear — the animal
  17. root — the cause
  18. ground — the earth
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. bear — the animal
  24. race — humankind

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