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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 120 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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. present — the time now
  3. pass — a permit
  4. present — there
  5. suit — in cards
  6. field — farmland
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. root — of a plant
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. field — a subject
  12. field — for sport
  13. suit — to fit
  14. root — the cause
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bore — to tire
  19. present — a gift
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. snap — to click
  22. root — of a word
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — music

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