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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 will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. root — of a plant
  3. bore — to tire
  4. board — to get on
  5. drill — army training
  6. hand — help
  7. lean — thin
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. root — of a word
  12. lean — to bend
  13. drill — a practice
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. march — the month
  17. root — the cause
  18. drill — the tool
  19. hand — in cards
  20. wax — to grow
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. march — music
  24. bore — to drill

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