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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — the cause
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bat — the animal
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. degree — temperature
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. degree — an amount
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. kid — child
  16. root — of a word
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. degree — from a university
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. kid — to tease

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