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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. root — the cause
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. root — of a word
  5. board — a committee
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. spring — a coil
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. board — to get on
  11. row — to paddle
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bore — to drill
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. root — of a plant
  17. spring — of water
  18. present — there
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — a line
  22. bore — to tire
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — a gift

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