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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bore — to drill
  4. kick — in football
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bark — to shout
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. current — of water
  11. root — of a word
  12. chip — to eat
  13. suit — to fit
  14. current — electric
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. root — the cause
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. tube — the underground
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. current — happening now
  21. root — of a plant
  22. tube — a container
  23. suit — clothes
  24. chip — for betting

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