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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 116 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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. ground — crushed
  4. present — a gift
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. present — the time now
  8. bark — to shout
  9. cue — a hint
  10. root — the cause
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. present — there
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — a position
  15. bore — to drill
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. root — of a word
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. root — of a plant
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. cue — a signal
  24. staff — a stick

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