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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bore — to drill
  5. current — of water
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. root — of a word
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — a cup
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. current — happening now
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. current — electric
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mug — to rob
  24. foot — a measure

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