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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: mouse · temple · fan · bore · root · staff · band · mark

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bore — to drill
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. band — a music group
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. band — a ring
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mark — a trace
  24. root — the cause

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