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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bore — to drill
  3. wound — an injury
  4. root — of a plant
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. root — the cause
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. object — to protest
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. tear — to rip
  12. bore — to tire
  13. court — of law
  14. object — an aim
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. court — for sport
  17. root — of a word
  18. court — of a king
  19. wound — an injury
  20. object — a thing
  21. tear — from crying
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. tear — from crying
  24. hide — to keep secret

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