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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bore — to tire
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. rock — a stone
  7. date — the fruit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. game — a match
  10. bore — to drill
  11. game — wild animals
  12. root — of a word
  13. suit — to fit
  14. capital — money
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. rock — music
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. root — the cause
  21. suit — in cards
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. capital — a city

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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