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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. date — the fruit
  4. lie — to recline
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. root — the cause
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. root — of a word
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. root — of a plant
  11. game — wild animals
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to drill
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. mug — to rob
  19. row — to paddle
  20. game — a match
  21. mug — a face
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. mug — a cup

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