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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  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. pound — for dogs
  2. root — the cause
  3. drill — a practice
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. root — of a word
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. root — of a plant
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. drill — army training
  13. pound — a weight
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. drill — the tool
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. chair — a leader
  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