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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. file — a line of people
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. face — to point toward
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. rock — music
  9. root — the cause
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bore — to drill
  12. face — to confront
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. face — part of the head
  15. deal — to handle
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. root — of a plant
  18. file — a tool
  19. bore — to tire
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. root — of a word
  23. file — a document
  24. calf — a young animal

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