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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 124 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. toast — bread
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — a weight
  5. root — of a word
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. rock — music
  11. root — of a plant
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. land — a country
  15. branch — a division
  16. land — to come down
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. root — the cause
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. land — ground
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bore — to tire
  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