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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bore — to drill
  3. root — of a plant
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. root — of a word
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bore — to tire
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. root — the cause
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. chest — of your body
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mine — for digging
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. chest — a box
  24. chest — of your body

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