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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bore — to drill
  4. season — in sport
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. root — of a plant
  8. spring — a coil
  9. stock — goods
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. spring — of water
  12. spring — the season
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — to get on
  15. root — of a word
  16. face — to point toward
  17. season — of the year
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. root — the cause
  22. bore — to tire
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to confront

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