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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to tire
  4. charge — electricity
  5. object — a thing
  6. root — of a plant
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. object — an aim
  9. root — of a word
  10. staff — a stick
  11. object — to protest
  12. tube — a container
  13. charge — in control
  14. staff — employees
  15. shower — rain
  16. root — the cause
  17. charge — a price
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bore — to drill
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. staff — employees
  23. tube — the underground
  24. shower — to wash

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