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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. rock — music
  3. chip — for betting
  4. track — a song
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. root — the cause
  7. rock — a stone
  8. kick — in football
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. key — in music
  11. bore — to drill
  12. track — to keep track
  13. root — of a plant
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. key — the most important part
  17. root — of a word
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. track — a path
  22. chip — to eat
  23. key — for a lock
  24. nail — for a hammer

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