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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 need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. cold — an illness
  4. root — of a plant
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. spell — letters
  8. bore — to tire
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. board — a committee
  11. bore — to drill
  12. root — of a word
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. foot — a measure
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. perch — the fish
  19. board — to get on
  20. cold — not warm
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. spell — magic
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. spell — a short time

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