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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. root — the cause
  3. present — a gift
  4. club — for golf
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. present — there
  7. file — a document
  8. band — a ring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bore — to tire
  14. club — for dancing
  15. bore — to drill
  16. root — of a plant
  17. file — a line of people
  18. file — a tool
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. present — the time now
  21. root — of a word
  22. band — a music group
  23. club — a group
  24. wound — an injury

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