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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. mark — a trace
  3. face — to point toward
  4. charge — in control
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. face — part of the head
  7. root — of a plant
  8. root — the cause
  9. bound — tied together
  10. mark — a grade
  11. charge — a price
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bound — obliged
  14. ground — a position
  15. root — of a word
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bound — certain
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. face — to confront
  22. ground — crushed
  23. foot — a measure
  24. ground — the earth

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