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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. root — the cause
  3. lean — thin
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bore — to drill
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. tube — the underground
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. root — of a plant
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bore — to tire
  15. chip — for betting
  16. tube — a container
  17. root — of a word
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. rock — music
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. lean — to bend
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. chip — to eat

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