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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  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. race — a contest
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to tire
  5. kid — child
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a plant
  9. kid — to tease
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. dip — to sink
  12. pound — a weight
  13. root — of a word
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. race — the arms race
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. race — humankind
  23. pound — to hit hard
  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