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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 116 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — a weight
  5. charge — a price
  6. land — a country
  7. root — the cause
  8. land — ground
  9. root — of a plant
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. field — for sport
  12. root — of a word
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. field — a subject
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — to tire
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. charge — in control
  21. field — farmland
  22. charge — electricity
  23. land — to come down
  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