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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. lie — to recline
  3. chair — a leader
  4. bore — to drill
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. shower — to wash
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bore — to tire
  18. root — of a word
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — what's left
  22. root — the cause
  23. shower — rain
  24. rest — a break

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