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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bore · chest · jam · face · squash · track · firm · root

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. chest — a box
  3. track — to keep track
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. squash — the sport
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — the cause
  8. firm — steady
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. root — of a plant
  11. firm — a company
  12. bore — to tire
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — part of the head
  15. squash — to crush
  16. track — a song
  17. chest — of your body
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. face — to point toward
  20. track — a path
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. firm — decided

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