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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. swing — to play on
  3. bore — to drill
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — the cause
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. swing — music
  8. dip — to sink
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. fine — all right
  12. hand — help
  13. fine — high quality
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bore — to tire
  17. swing — in golf
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. stand — to bear
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. root — of a plant
  24. stand — on your feet

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