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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. present — a gift
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. dip — to sink
  10. present — there
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bore — to drill
  13. present — the time now
  14. root — the cause
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. fall — to drop
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bore — to tire
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. plane — a tool
  22. root — of a word
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bowl — a football final

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