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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. row — a line
  3. board — to get on
  4. mug — a cup
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bore — to tire
  7. file — a tool
  8. pass — a permit
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bore — to drill
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. root — of a word
  13. board — a committee
  14. file — a document
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. mug — a face
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. root — the cause
  20. row — to paddle
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. file — a line of people
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. row — a quarrel

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