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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. pop — soda
  3. row — a line
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. rest — a break
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bore — to tire
  8. root — of a word
  9. content — happy
  10. root — the cause
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pop — music
  16. bore — to drill
  17. content — the amount
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. rest — what's left
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rest — what's left
  24. root — of a plant

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