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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. hand — in cards
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bore — to drill
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. root — the cause
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pound — a weight
  24. root — of a word

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