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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bore — to drill
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. root — the cause
  6. spring — the season
  7. fall — the season
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — a container
  11. key — in music
  12. fall — to drop
  13. root — of a word
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. root — of a plant
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — a break
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. spring — of water
  21. key — the most important part
  22. spring — a coil
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bore — to tire

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