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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — to drill
  3. tube — a container
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. root — the cause
  8. tube — the underground
  9. rule — government
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. track — a path
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. root — of a word
  15. bear — the animal
  16. track — a song
  17. rule — a law
  18. game — wild animals
  19. craft — a skill
  20. track — to keep track
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bear — the animal
  23. game — a match
  24. craft — boats

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