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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: root · board · straw · mouse · bore · hide · toast · saw

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bore — to tire
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. board — a committee
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. root — of a word
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. root — the cause
  18. saw — the tool
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bore — to drill
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. root — of a plant
  24. board — to get on

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