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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. march — the month
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — of a word
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. saw — the tool
  9. march — the month
  10. roll — a list
  11. march — music
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. stock — shares
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — to tire
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. root — the cause
  19. foot — a measure
  20. wake — a trail
  21. stock — goods
  22. roll — a cake
  23. saw — the tool
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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