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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. root — of a plant
  5. court — of a king
  6. bore — to drill
  7. root — the cause
  8. court — for sport
  9. swing — music
  10. current — happening now
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. root — of a word
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. current — electric
  17. court — of law
  18. bore — to tire
  19. swing — in golf
  20. current — of water
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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