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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 ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to tire
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. track — to keep track
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. track — a song
  9. bore — to drill
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pitch — completely
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. saw — the tool
  18. root — the cause
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. track — a path
  21. root — of a plant
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. root — of a word
  24. safe — out of danger

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