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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. race — humankind
  3. drill — army training
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bore — to drill
  6. squash — to crush
  7. drill — a practice
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. kick — in football
  13. capital — money
  14. root — the cause
  15. capital — a city
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. root — of a word
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bore — to tire
  23. race — a contest
  24. kick — with a leg

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