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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. root — of a plant
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. mine — for digging
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — to drill
  9. game — a match
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — in cards
  16. root — the cause
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — for pool
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. root — of a word
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. cue — a signal

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