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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bore — to drill
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. root — of a word
  5. rash — hasty
  6. root — of a plant
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bat — the animal
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bore — to tire
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. saw — the tool
  15. ball — a great time
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. root — the cause
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. rash — a series
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. ball — a round shape

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