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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. kid — child
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. kid — to tease
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. root — of a plant
  9. firm — a company
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — goods
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a word
  14. firm — steady
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bore — to tire
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bore — to drill
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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