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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — high quality
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. root — of a plant
  7. club — for golf
  8. club — for dancing
  9. bore — to tire
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. root — of a word
  13. tube — the underground
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. saw — the tool
  16. tube — a container
  17. root — the cause
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. saw — the tool
  22. club — a group
  23. bore — to drill
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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