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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. club — a group
  3. root — of a word
  4. club — for dancing
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bore — to tire
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — to breed
  10. root — the cause
  11. rock — a stone
  12. cue — for pool
  13. field — farmland
  14. mate — a partner
  15. rock — music
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. club — for golf
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. field — a subject
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. field — for sport
  22. cue — a hint
  23. root — of a plant
  24. bore — to drill

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