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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bore — to drill
  3. root — of a word
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bore — to tire
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rock — music
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — electricity
  10. board — to get on
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mine — for digging
  15. charge — a price
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. board — a committee
  18. field — for sport
  19. scale — size or range
  20. field — farmland
  21. root — of a plant
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. scale — in music
  24. field — a subject

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