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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 116 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: bore · squash · root · hand · board · ball · ground · can

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bore — to drill
  3. hand — help
  4. ground — the earth
  5. board — a committee
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. can — a tin
  9. ball — a great time
  10. can — to be able to
  11. ground — crushed
  12. bore — to tire
  13. squash — the sport
  14. root — the cause
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. ground — a position
  20. ball — a dance
  21. root — of a word
  22. can — a tin
  23. root — of a plant
  24. board — to get on

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