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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. bore — to tire
  3. band — a music group
  4. object — a thing
  5. court — of a king
  6. object — an aim
  7. root — the cause
  8. fine — high quality
  9. rock — a stone
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. court — for sport
  12. root — of a plant
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bore — to drill
  15. court — of law
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. root — of a word
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. rock — music
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. fine — all right
  23. object — to protest
  24. bore — gave birth

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