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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. object — a thing
  3. bore — to tire
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bank — for money
  7. object — an aim
  8. field — a subject
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. field — farmland
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. field — for sport
  15. bank — for money
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. root — the cause
  18. object — to protest
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. root — of a word
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bank — of a river
  24. root — of a plant

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