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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: row · bowl · root · coach · deal · bore · game · fan

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. game — wild animals
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. game — a match
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. root — of a word
  8. row — to paddle
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. row — a line
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. deal — to handle
  18. root — the cause
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bore — to tire
  24. row — a quarrel

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