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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 · row · pit · safe · object · key · net

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  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 tire
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. row — to paddle
  5. net — after costs
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bore — to drill
  8. root — the cause
  9. key — for a lock
  10. object — a thing
  11. root — of a word
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. row — a line
  14. object — to protest
  15. key — in music
  16. pit — a hole
  17. net — in sport
  18. net — for catching
  19. pit — in a race
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. key — the most important part
  23. object — an aim
  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