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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. root — of a word
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bore — to tire
  7. root — the cause
  8. bore — to drill
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. last — final
  14. last — to go on
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. last — finally
  20. root — of a plant
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. plane — a tool
  24. safe — out of danger

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