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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. root — of a plant
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. spell — a short time
  9. firm — steady
  10. spell — magic
  11. court — for sport
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. root — of a word
  14. bear — the animal
  15. firm — decided
  16. court — of a king
  17. bore — to drill
  18. firm — a company
  19. root — the cause
  20. court — of law
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. foot — a measure
  23. spell — letters
  24. wake — before a funeral

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