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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's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. field — a subject
  3. rash — hasty
  4. cap — of ice
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to tire
  8. board — a committee
  9. root — the cause
  10. cap — a hat
  11. suit — clothes
  12. board — to get on
  13. root — of a plant
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. root — of a word
  16. field — farmland
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. suit — in cards
  20. field — for sport
  21. rash — a series
  22. suit — to fit
  23. cap — a lid
  24. mine — an explosive

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