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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — of a plant
  5. drill — a practice
  6. degree — temperature
  7. drill — the tool
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bore — to drill
  13. drill — army training
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. degree — an amount
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. degree — from a university
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. root — the cause
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — an eyelash

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