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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. root — the cause
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. race — the arms race
  5. root — of a plant
  6. rock — a stone
  7. race — humankind
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bore — to tire
  11. race — a contest
  12. bore — to drill
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bound — certain
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. bound — obliged
  19. roll — a cake
  20. roll — a list
  21. root — of a word
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. pitcher — a jug

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