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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bore — to drill
  4. field — for sport
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — of a word
  7. mug — a face
  8. field — a subject
  9. bore — to tire
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. current — electric
  16. field — farmland
  17. fork — in a road
  18. current — of water
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. root — the cause
  21. rash — a series
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. current — happening now
  24. bowl — a dish

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