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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: spring · bore · root · chip · cap · lie · firm · perch

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. cap — of ice
  4. perch — the fish
  5. bore — to drill
  6. spring — the season
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bore — to tire
  9. cap — a hat
  10. chip — for betting
  11. spring — of water
  12. root — of a plant
  13. spring — a coil
  14. cap — a lid
  15. firm — decided
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. chip — to eat
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. root — the cause
  21. firm — a company
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. firm — steady
  24. root — of a word

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