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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 · root · object · cold · mouse · mark · wake · nail

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bore — to drill
  4. object — a thing
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bore — to tire
  11. root — the cause
  12. object — to protest
  13. cold — an illness
  14. object — an aim
  15. wake — a trail
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cold — not warm
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — of a plant
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. mouse — for a computer

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