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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  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. deal — to handle
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. object — an aim
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bass — the fish
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bass — low music
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bore — to tire
  13. root — of a word
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. object — a thing
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. object — to protest
  21. root — the cause
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bass — the instrument
  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