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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. club — a group
  6. root — the cause
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bore — to tire
  9. club — for dancing
  10. foot — a measure
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. club — for golf
  13. bore — to drill
  14. root — of a word
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. shower — to wash
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. root — of a plant
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. saw — the tool
  21. shower — rain
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. foot — part of the 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