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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. game — a match
  5. march — music
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. march — the month
  10. vault — a safe
  11. march — the month
  12. root — of a plant
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. root — of a word
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. game — wild animals

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