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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. dip — to sink
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a word
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bore — to tire
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. kid — child
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. root — of a plant
  12. prune — to trim
  13. saw — the tool
  14. kid — to tease
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bore — to drill
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. charge — a price
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. charge — in control
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. prune — to trim

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