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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. clip — a video
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. root — of a plant
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bore — to tire
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. clip — to cut
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. clip — for paper
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — the cause
  19. track — a song
  20. track — a path
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. track — to keep track
  23. pop — soda
  24. safe — out of danger

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