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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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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: mark · toast · stick · chair · tear · deal · root · bore

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bore — to drill
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. tear — to rip
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bore — to tire
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. toast — bread
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. root — of a word
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. deal — to handle
  16. chair — a leader
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. tear — from crying
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. root — of a plant
  22. root — the cause
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — to pay attention

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