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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 120 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. wake — a trail
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — in control
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bore — to drill
  8. root — of a plant
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bore — to tire
  12. root — of a word
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. hand — in cards
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. root — the cause
  20. wound — an injury
  21. hand — help
  22. wound — an injury
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. hand — part of the body

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