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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bore — to drill
  4. field — farmland
  5. cue — a signal
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. rash — hasty
  9. cue — a hint
  10. root — of a word
  11. rash — a series
  12. root — the cause
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. field — a subject
  17. field — for sport
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. root — of a plant
  21. rush — hurry
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. prune — to trim
  24. temple — a place of worship

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