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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 120 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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. last — to go on
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. bore — to drill
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. row — to paddle
  7. cue — a signal
  8. suit — in cards
  9. cue — for pool
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. last — final
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. cue — a hint
  14. last — finally
  15. root — of a plant
  16. suit — clothes
  17. row — a line
  18. suit — to fit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. root — of a word
  21. bore — to tire
  22. sharp — clever
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bore — gave birth

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