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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: fall · sharp · tube · bore · fan · hide · root · key

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. tube — a container
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. key — in music
  7. root — of a word
  8. key — the most important part
  9. fall — to drop
  10. key — for a lock
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. tube — the underground
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to tire
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bore — to drill
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. root — the cause
  23. sharp — clever
  24. hide — to keep secret

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