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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 · bore · game · staff · deal · straw · cap · shower

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. root — the cause
  4. game — a match
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. staff — employees
  8. cap — a hat
  9. staff — a stick
  10. root — of a word
  11. shower — to wash
  12. deal — to handle
  13. cap — of ice
  14. game — wild animals
  15. root — of a plant
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. cap — a lid
  18. shower — rain
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. bore — to tire
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. bore — to drill
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. staff — employees

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