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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. root — of a plant
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. root — the cause
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. stand — to bear
  10. wake — a trail
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mark — a grade
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bore — to drill
  16. mark — a trace
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bear — the animal
  19. root — of a word
  20. bore — to tire
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bear — to put up with

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