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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bore — to tire
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — of your body
  6. staff — employees
  7. root — of a plant
  8. staff — a stick
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. squash — to crush
  11. staff — employees
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. squash — the sport
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bore — to drill
  19. root — of a word
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. deal — to handle
  23. chest — a box
  24. root — the cause

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