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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. root — the cause
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bore — to tire
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. rock — music
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. root — of a word
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. chip — for betting
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bore — to drill
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. chip — to eat
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. root — of a plant
  23. deal — to handle
  24. pitcher — a jug

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