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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bore — to drill
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — of a word
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hand — help
  18. deal — to handle
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. hand — in cards
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. plane — an aircraft

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